Voices in the Night
by Enlightened Tenshi
Summary: AU Beth moved to Japan to get away from her past and the memories she wanted to erase. Kagome, knowing Beth's past, wants nothing more than to help her. But the one person she hoped to never see again is on their way to Tokyo: with Beth on their mind. Can the gang conquer Beth's past, with out harming her in the process? Will Beth ever escape? ON HIATUS FOR NOW
1. Prologue

**Yep… I did it again…. I re-did it… please don't be mad…. *puppy dog eyes* As a writer, I am very meticulous about my work! And don't worry, I'll probably have the other three chapters finished and updated by this afternoon! So please don't be angry… Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever *mutters* (though I wish I did) own any characters from InuYasha. They belong to wonderful Takahashi Rumiko-san! Only the plot and some of the characters are mine. Which you can't steal. Or I will find you. x**

* * *

The night was cool; frost began ghosting the surface of the sidewalk. A swing from a nearby playground squeaked eerily in the stillness as it swung back and forth, pushed by an invisible wind. At the edge of the play area, the shadowy forms of half-bare pine trees stood like sentries. Waiting. Watching...

A rustle of branches disrupted the silence as a lone figure broke through the tree line to race through the park and onto the glistening concrete, pausing underneath a dim streetlight.

It was a girl. Her once vibrant hair was now matted and tangled, her clothes mere rags clinging to her body by threads. She took a moment to catch her breath, rubbing her arms to keep warm.

She let out a hiss of pain as she touched the angry red welts running down her arms, wincing when the cold air brushed against them. _I hope they don't get infected. _

She was lucky: they were only scratches. And she had been the "new meat", one of the supposedly untouchable.

Compared to what else the bastard that had locked her up could do, she had made a clean getaway.

The memories of her previous living quarters made her shiver. The girl started walking down the sidewalk, searching for people. For safety. Her footsteps resonated off the wall of trees beside her, increasing her paranoia and only making her walk faster. She dreaded being caught. Like the last runner…

_A loud slam awoke her from her drug-induced sleep, and she shook herself into awareness as the other girls awoke as well. No, not girls. _Pets. _That's what they were to __him__, the Master. Simple-minded beings that existed only to please him and follow his every whim and desire. They were usable. Vulnerable. _Expendable. _A sliver of light through the cracks in her "room" told her that the newest escapee had been caught. _

_Which made sense. Every time one of them tried to escape, Master brought them back, and disciplined them… _

_Sounds of a struggle made her curiosity rise. Through the slats of her door, she could see Master descending the stairs with a struggling bundle held tightly in his hand. _

_It was Rei, the oldest girl there. _

_Her long ebony hair was tangled in the Master's fingers, and every time she attempted to move, the slightest twitch caused her to cry out in pain. The Master growled, his sharp eyes cold as he dragged the girl to the center of the floor. She wanted to close her eyes, oh how she wanted to! But they would not obey. _

_Rei snarled like a wild animal. "RELEASE ME!" she cried. _

_The Master raised his right hand ever so slightly, his fingernails elongating into lethal claws. He raised the screeching girl to her feet, his hold on her hair still firm. He reached back, extending his arm for a seemingly fatal swing. Her eyes widened in fear. _She's going to die!

_And with one motion, her hair was cut, falling to the floor like snow. _

_She watched as the once proud teen fell to her knees and sobbed like a child, attempting to gather the hair she had lost. And as the Master descended on her, the girl's eyes finally obeyed her, slipping closed and releasing several bitter tears. _

"Rei…" she choked. The girl bit her lip as a cascade of salty tears flowed onto her cheeks. The fiery brunette had been like a sister to her, teaching her how to survive in the Kami-forsaken hellhole she had been dragged to. She had been the only one to volunteer to try to find help. And to see her like that…

_No!_ she shook her head violently. _Don't think about that right now. First you need to find a safe place to hide..._

The girl's eyes shot open when she heard a low rumble in the trees.

She froze.

Only her eyes moved, flitting from the heavy cluster of woods on her left to the wide expanse of roadway on the right.

He was looking for her, she just knew it.

As the fear set in, her heart rate sped up; adrenaline pumped through her veins.

_Maybe I was just hearing things, _she reasoned. That was when the rumbling got louder, followed by a sharp _sniff sniff. _

In every being on Earth, there is a need for survival, certain instincts every creature is born with. At the moment, her instincts were telling her one thing.

_RUN! _

She took of like a shot, hoping and praying her legs could carry her away from the horror that now tracked her. She heard the cracking branches behind her and knew she was more than likely going to fail.

But still she gripped this tiny prayer even as she heard the footsteps treading heavily behind her.

As she was thrown to the ground on her face.

As she felt the claws ripping her legs apart by the calves.

She screamed loudly, the pain unbearable. Blood seeped from the gashes, her tendons completely removed. Her pursuer flipped her over roughly, kicking her in the side. Hard. Which caused another shriek of agony.

"Bitch, did you think you could escape me?" Clawed hands roughly tugged at the rags on her torso, shredding them completely. Revulsion and anger, combined with the already present fear, washed over the girl at the thought of this thing, this _creature_, seeing her naked.

A ragged sigh tore through the shadow's mouth, blood-red eyes pinned on his prey.

He knew she wasn't her. _My _true_ prize_.

She was just another replacement, another temporary solution to his growing need. His lips pulled back into a sneer as he examined the helpless girl before him. Same auburn hair, same chocolate green-flecked eyes, same height.

But not _her_.

An irritated growl alerted the girl that he was now angry at something. Most likely, HER. She saw his gaze shift down her body, to her legs, then back up again until his eyes rested on hers. They seemed to hypnotize her, holding her in place.

He knelt in front of his victim, keeping his eyes locked with hers. He relieved her of her clothing, then proceeded to do the same with himself. He then crawled on top of her and spread her legs.

_Unclean, _his mind snarled. _Not ours. Whore. Substitution! _As his eyes narrowed to slits, he reared back and slammed into his helpless prey.

The spell she was under was broken as she felt an excruciating pain in her back and lower regions. Her eyes screwed shut while she tried to scream out her agony. A hand clamped over her lips prevented that.

"Ah ah ah, we wouldn't want our _fun _being spoiled by some unlucky human passerby, now would we?" A dark chuckle caused her eyes to widen as tears welled in her frightened orbs. "I thought not."

He then picked up the pace of his thrusts, increasing the amount of pain she experienced. She whimpered under his hand, the tears overflowing to streak down her cheeks. The friction of his thrusts created several scrapes on her back from the sidewalk, which began to bleed freely and sting. The girl bit her tongue so hard she tasted blood.

_Please Kami-sama, let it end…_

The being above her grunted as he dug his claws into his prey's thighs, the blood running and coating his member, making his thrusts easier. He closed his eyes and tried to envision the being underneath him was the one he wanted, the one he craved.

_Soon, _he thought. _She will be mine! _

He opened his eyes and released a groan as he finished, causing the poor copy underneath him to convulse in revulsion. He pulled out of her quickly, stood, and dressed. He turned to the girl and smiled, a twist of his lips that caused him to look even more evil.

The girl shivered in dread. She knew she was going to die. As the predator descended upon her, one thought, one _prayer_, echoed through her mind.

_Kami, save me…_

* * *

Darkness. Fear. Pain. Agony. Helplessness. These are what an animal feels as it is dying. A human is no different.

He raised her body to the overhead branch, tying her hair into knots to hold her unconscious body in the air. She looked like a piñata, ready to break open to get to the goodies inside. The man inhaled deeply, then closed his eyes.

"She's all yours."

His body convulsed for a moment, ripples penetrating his skin as his nails grew into dagger-like claws. Deep magenta stripes slashed over his cheeks, wrists, and sharp canines sprang from his lips. The once golden eyes were overrun by deep crimson, with a royal blue pupil gazing through the haze. The beast grinned at the wonderful gift his Master had given him. _**This shall be much fun…**_

* * *

**So, what did you think? Good, bad, horrible? Please review and lemme know!** **And I bet EVERYONE can guess who the mysterious killer is, right? Give me your best guesses. XD**


	2. Chapter 1

**Voila, le second chappie for the day. :D Actually, I've been cheating, I just edited the chapters to make them easier to read. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever *mutters* (though I wish I did) own any characters from InuYasha. They belong to wonderful Takahashi Rumiko-san! Only the plot and some of the characters are mine. Which you can't steal. Or I will find you. x**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

The lobby of Haneda Airport was a mass of activity as passengers moved from the loading decks to the parking lots and back again. Tourists huddled in groups and snapped pictures randomly while distressed mothers carried or dragged crying children towards the doors. Vendors selling various items from beverages to jewelry crowed from their stalls.

"Buy this!"

"Mine's better!"

"Eat this!"

Amid all of the hustle and bustle, a short brunette was making her way to the lounge area. She squeezed between clusters of people as she dragged her very large suitcase behind her. Struggling the entire way with her load, the girl finally broke through the throng of passersby, released a sigh of relief, and collapsed onto one of the various leather couches that dotted the lounge.

She was exhausted, the dark circles under her eyes almost black against the paleness of her skin. But she couldn't sleep yet. She had to stay awake just a little while longer. The girl reached into her pocket and unfolded a letter. It was from her pen pal, whom she had been writing letters to for well over three years. She had just received the most recent letter and as she read it, her face shone in excitement.

_Dear Beth,_

_We've been writing each other for over three years now. You've told me all of your adventures and I've told you mine. We laughed, cried, and got angry at each other. We're almost like sisters now. And I think that it's time that we meet at last. Now I know that it's a long distance between us; you being in America and me living in Japan, but we can make this work. My mother and grandfather own a shrine in Tokyo, and they have agreed to pay for the airfare and ticket for you, and you can stay with us when you arrive. Oh, I hope you say yes, Beth! I have wanted to meet you for so long! The next time we have a conversation, I hope it will be face-to-face._

_With all my love ,_

_Kagome_

Beth closed the letter with a loving smile. It seemed like only yesterday she had sent her first letter.

_A younger Beth was sitting at the kitchen table, her face shining with the smile she displayed. It was going to be her first letter to her new pen pal, and she wanted it to be special. The orphanage had started the Pen a Friend Program in hopes that maybe some of the shyer kids would learn to open up to their feelings. She tapped her pencil on the wooden tabletop, trying to figure out what to start with. She finally decided on something simple._

_Dear Kagome,_

_I hope I spelled your name right. If I didn't, I'm sorry. I'm not too good at this pen-pal thing. Honestly, I'm kinda nervous about it. But I hope that even though we are only talking through letters, we can be good friends._

_Sincerely, _

_Beth Roberts_

"_There!" she announced, smiling with pride._

_She quickly folded it and placed it inside an envelope, sealing and stamping it before writing the address and giving it to Mrs. Francoeur, the headmistress. _

"_I hope she likes it." she confessed. _

_The older woman smiled and pet her on the head. "Don't worry Beth. I'm sure she will love it!"_

Ever since that day, she had constantly sent and received letters to and from Tokyo. The two girls had become extremely close. So close, in fact, that Beth had decided to tell Kagome about her parent's deaths.

_Beth gnawed on her lip, waiting for Mrs. Francoeur to give her her letter from Tokyo. She was afraid of what she would read, afraid that maybe Kagome wouldn't like her anymore because she didn't have any parents. _That's a stupid thing to be afraid of_, she thought. _But… what if it's _true_? _Her hands started to sweat when Mrs. Francoeur passed her a small pink envelope. "This one feels heavy," she teased, weighing the letter on her palm. _

"_You two must have had a lot to talk about." Beth gave a smile, which felt more like a grimace, and took her letter, thanked her caretaker, and ran up to her room where she could read in private. _

_A couple of hours later, Beth was in tears. She now knew that she could never have chosen a better pen pal. Kagome's father had died when she was six. He had been diagnosed with leukemia, but he had spent every moment he could with his daughter and infant son until the disease became too great for his system to handle, and he passed away. She knew the pain of trying to cope, to figure out where to go from there, and how to get your life back together afterwards. _

_It was really tough for me, Beth-chan, and it was only my dad that left. But you lost both of your parents at the same time. I don't understand how you didn't go crazy. You must be really strong to come through that._

_There had never been anyone that she had shared her feelings with, and now that she had found someone, it could have never been more perfect._

After that day, Beth and Kagome had kept up a steady string of letters to each other. One day, Kagome had come up with the craziest idea: for Beth to come to Tokyo and visit. At first, Beth had argued with Kagome's idea, saying it was far too expensive and complicated and she didn't want Kagome's family paying for her way to Tokyo.

But after Kagome found the number to the orphanage, and Sakura, her mother, had talked it over with Mrs. Francoeur, Beth lost the battle. So with a date set for three months from then, they had begun to plan for her departure. And she could recall with great detail the agonizing hours it took to sort through her clothes and pick what would fit that was "appropriate". She had had an utter battle with the older woman to let her take her musical supplies with her, before finally winning and stuffing those in as well.

Beth glanced at her bulging suitcase with a mixture of dread and disgust. "Maybe taking all of that with me was a bad idea…" She remembered the frustration of getting the thing through the doorway of the airport, not to mention the x-ray machine.

Beth sighed as she looked at her watch. 10 o'clock. _She should be here any minute now… _Chewing on her lower lip, Beth glanced around at the sea of people.

It would be impossible to see Kagome from here. Maybe if she went to the help desk…

"BETH-CHAN!" cried a voice.

Beth turned to see a beautiful young Japanese girl with a huge smile on her face. Her eyes widened. "Kagome….?" Her face broke into a smile as tears sprang into her eyes. She leapt from her seat, folding Kagome in a tight embrace, which she returned fully.

Finally, Beth pulled away, wiping the traces of wetness from her eyes. "I can't believe I'm actually here."

Kagome smiled at the small American girl. "It's like a dream come true, ne?"

At Beth's nod, she continued. "It's the same for me. I never thought I'd actually get to see your face in person. You're the only other person I've confided my secrets in, besides my mother and my cat, Buyo. Of course, Buyo can't talk." Both girls giggled.

"I feel as if we are sisters. We've grown so close…" She shook her head, drawing herself out of her musings. "There I go again, daydreaming. I'm not as focused in real life as I am in my letters, Beth-chan." Beth smiled and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, that's alright. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, either."

Kagome giggled at Beth's phrasing while she helped the girl pick up her luggage.

Literally.

The suitcase that she had brought with her was the size of a small dresser. And it was _heavy_. Both girls had to use all of their strength to heft the load into the back of the waiting taxi, panting as they slid into the leather seats.

"What... exactly... do you have... in your suitcase?" Gasped Kagome.

""Not much..." Panted Beth. "Mostly my... music..."

"How can music be so heavy?"

Beth smiled and winked at the other girl. "I'll show you when we arrive. How long will that be, by the way?"

Kagome shrugged. "Maybe a couple hours, give or take." Seeing the bags under Beth's eyes, she added, "Why don't you take a nap? I'll wake you when we get there."

Before the last word left her lips, Beth was sound asleep.

* * *

A jogger had found her.

Bleeding, mangled, swinging by her hair from a tree branch. Her entire body looked like a side of beef hanging in a meat locker. A puddle of rubies lay at her feet, slowly dribbling down the sides of her legs. Or what was left of them. From the knee down, her calves were shred into ribbons, dancing in the wind like some perverse celebratory gesture. Bite marks and gashes covered every inch of skin. Her face was so torn that the police had to pull her teeth so they could identify her from dental records.

Yellow police tape encircled the oak tree soaked in blood. There was a crowd gathered to gawk at the macabre display, which only dispersed when the poor girl was placed inside of a body bag.

The entire police force was puzzled by the scene before them. Even the senior officers were scratching their heads in confusion. "Nothing human could make such markings," the police chief stated. A man stood at the edge of the scene, a black hoodie covering most of his features except for the smirk that flashed from the shadows of the hood. _Nothing human could have done this… _

If he only knew how right he was...

The figure glanced once more at his work, then left without a sound.

* * *

**I think the edits give the story more background, don't you? *crickets* Okay, maybe it's just me…**

**PLEASE REVIEW! Reviews let me know that someone besides me is reading my under-done work! (`o`) I'll gives you hugs!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Third chapter! This must be a new record for me. XD**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever *mutters* (though I wish I did) own any characters from InuYasha. They belong to wonderful Takahashi Rumiko-san! Only the plot and some of the characters are mine. Which you can't steal. Or I will find you. x**

* * *

Night had fallen over Tokyo by the time the taxi rumbled to the front steps of the Higurashi Shrine. With a shake to her sleeping companion, Kagome hopped out of the backseat. Beth, on the other hand, almost rolled onto the concrete.

"Well, this is it!" Beth , barely awake, tilted her head backwards as her eyes followed the large stone steps of the shrine. They seemed like they ascended into heaven.

"God, Kagome, why in the world do you have so many steps?" She was puzzled by the girl's giggles.

"Because I live in a shrine, Beth-chan." Beth blinked and looked once more on the shrine. "I see…"

The girls retrieved the bag from the taxi's trunk, and after paying the driver, they began to climb the mountainous steps.

* * *

The beast paced in front of the dark-haired man. **"Where is she?!" **it snarled.

The man raised a hand for silence.

"Patience, my friend. We will find her. But, until then, you shall have to sate your hunger with these others." He promptly ducked as a severed leg crashed into the wall over his head, dribbling blood down to the floor.

"**I tire of this! My 'Master' grows weary of your failures, spider. Your chances are becoming slimmer." **

The monster turned and lifted the limp body he had been holding. It was a girl, no older than fifteen.

Once bright hazel eyes, now void of life, stared at the ceiling. Her throat had been slit and her intestines hung loosely from a large gash in her stomach. The beast shoved his face into the slit, gorging itself on the poor girl's entrails, while the man stood emotionless, watching it feast.

"I shall speak to your 'Master' in the morning. I believe I have found a way to locate her…" And with a deep bow, he was gone, and the beast continued its feast.

Several whimpers were heard from the surrounding cages as the occupants watched the spectacle. It sickened them to know that they were at the mercy of such a monster. But they were helpless to stop it. Before too long, nothing was left of the body but the head and hollowed-out torso of the girl. The beast stood, red eyes glinting in satisfaction, and turned towards the steps that led out of the basement.

As he ascended, he snapped his fingers. A loud buzzing sound began to fill the room, then quieted. Two large men, dressed in black suits, appeared at the top of the steps. "You called, Master?"

The beast turned towards the basement floor, eyes now the color of melted gold. "Remove that piece of filth from my sight. Burn it in the forest."

He wiped his face with one blood-covered hand. "I must go and cleanse myself of this stench." As he left, the men bowed, then descended the steps and left with the corpse.

When everything was still again, crying could be heard in the corner cell. Through the darkness of the cellar, a pale arm could be seen extending from one of the small cells lining the walls. It stretched towards the crate, as if to comfort the prisoner inside.

"Don't worry, Rin-chan," a muffled voice whispered. "We'll get out of this somehow."

The crying seemed to subside for a moment. "I hope so, Sakura-chan…" A dark brown eye could be seen through the slats of the cell as a smaller hand extended from the cage and clasps the first.

"I hope so…"

* * *

It seemed like they had been climbing the accursed steps for hours when the girls finally reached the summit.

"Here we are!" called Kagome. A loud THUD was heard behind her as Beth promptly collapsed onto the ground.

"I can't feel my legs…" she wheezed.

* * *

With the help of Sakura and Souta, Beth's bag was delivered with minimal damage into the living room. "Goodness, Beth-chan," gasped Sakura, "what exactly is in your bag?"

Beth giggled and unzipped her suitcase. Inside was a laptop, a small keyboard, several notebooks full of sheet music, a music stand, and a guitar. Underneath all of that were her clothes and toiletry items.

Kagome stared at her suitcase. "Kami yoi! I didn't think you were serious!"

Beth giggled and re-zipped her bag. "I told you it was my music, Kago-" She was cut off by a large yawn.

Sakura chuckled. "Well, then, you must be tired after your long trip. Kagome will show you to your room, Beth-chan." She turned and moved towards the kitchen, Souta in tow. "But Kaa-san… I haven't gotten to talk to Beth-chan about America yet!" he griped.

"There's always tomorrow," she stated as she dragged the pouting boy from the room. "Goodnight Beth-chan. Sleep as long as you want to in the morning."

Beth dropped her head in a bow. "Arigatou, Sakura-san."

Sakura poked her head around the corner and giggled. "Please, call me Kaa-san." And with that, she was gone.

Kagome smiled at the confused look on Beth's face. "She already feels like your mother, so she wants you to call her such."

Beth smiled shyly. "That's so sweet…"

Kagome smiled. "That's my mother for you." She then glanced at Beth's luggage. "Now how in the world are we going to get this monstrosity up the stairs?"

Both girls glared at the bag and groaned.

* * *

After several minutes of panting and wheezing, the two teenagers finally reached the top of the stairs.

Kagome rested against the wall. "Thank Kami…we made it."

Beth leaned over her bag, exhausted. "I think I've done my limit of exercise for the rest of my life today."

She finally stood and looked to her panting friend. "So, where am I going to be staying, Kagome?"

The black-haired girl blinked, then her face broke into a wide grin. "Oh, you're in the new guest room. And I think you're going to love it!" She skipped to a door at the end of the hallway, Beth following with her luggage in tow.

Kagome pointed to the opposite end of the hall. "That's my room, Beth-chan. If you need anything, just come and get me." She then grabbed the door handle as if she were introducing Beth to the Emperor. "And here is your room. We had it especially designed just for you."

The handle clicked and the door opened as Beth stepped through. Her mouth fell open in shock. "Oh my God…. This is amazing!" She turned in a circle in the middle of the room, taking it all in. The walls and ceiling were painted turquoise. Neon green, hot pink, black, yellow, and violet paint splatters covered the walls as well. Her bedding consisted of ebony sheets, pillowcases, bed skirt, and a black comforter with an aquamarine design that appeared to be Celtic knotting crisscrossing over it.

Mahogany hardwood flooring spanned to the edges of the space, along with a large window, with a black velvet upholstered window seat that overlooked the commons of the shrine. And in the middle of the view was a very large, very ancient, tree. She ran to her window, gazing in wonder at the behemoth. "Wow, that is a big tree…"

Kagome giggled. "That's the Goshinboku. It's more than 500 years old."

Beth blinked in shock. "I'd believe it." She turned to see her friend holding her guitar in her hands. Beth giggled. "Do you want to hear it played?"

Kagome's eyes grew wide. "YES!"

Beth smiled and reached for the guitar. "I'll play one of my original songs." She strummed out a couple of chords, then began to sing in a soft, lilting voice.

_I felt the tremble in my voice as we argued on the phone_

_I just knew what was to come, I just knew I was alone _

_As we hung up on each other, I saw your picture smile at me_

"_It's over now," I whispered, as I thought of you and me_

_My heart is slowly breaking, the pain I feel inside_

_It brings up to the surface, the tears I try to hide_

_They hit the ground, one by one_

_You're fading fast, and we are done_

_I'll say the past is past_

_But it's like walking on broken glass_

_So the years have come and gone, and I've found somebody new_

_He's begun to mend my heart, and I'm forgetting about you_

_There are times that I remember, but I know it's in the past_

_Now all I need to do is fix these shards of broken glass_

_My heart is slowly mending_

_There's no more pain inside_

_At times the tears start falling_

_I know I'll be alright_

_The memories come, the memories go_

_But I am strong, and now I know_

_What's happened is in the past_

_Now I can mend this broken glass_

When Beth strummed her guitar for the final time, Kagome started clapping furiously. "That was beautiful! I can't believe you wrote that! It's awesome!"

Beth, unused to such praise, bushed a deep red. "W-well thank you… it's not that hard, really."

Kagome snorted. "Sure Beth… but whether it's hard or not, you have definitely got talent."

Kagome looked at the digital clock placed on the nightstand. It blinked the time at her in bold red numbers: 11:43.

"Well, it's late." She stretched and headed for the bedroom door. "Don't worry about waking up early. We'll have a whole day just for us tomorrow, so get some rest."

Beth nodded. "Alright. Night Kagome."

Giving a small, tired smile, Kagome left, throwing a yawn-filled "goodnight" over her shoulder and shutting the bedroom door behind her.

* * *

At being left alone, Beth yawned slightly and debated whether a shower was worth the effort. One whiff from her clothes told her all she needed to know.

She rummaged through her suitcase and retrieved her pajamas, toothbrush, and hairbrush. Then she stood and looked over her room again, the Goshinboku catching her eye. _That tree… there's something about it that just seems… mystical, I guess, _thought Beth.

She then saw the two doors on the far right of her bedroom. She opened the one on her left. A bare closet greeted her view. "Hmmm… I'll have to put away my clothes later," she thought aloud. She then opened the right door, felt for the light switch, and turned it on.

A cute little black and white tiled bathroom, complete with white fluffy towels and a deep lounging tub spanned the room, along with a small sink, over which hung a mirror. The large tub was already filled with steaming water, a welcoming sight for Beth's aching muscles.

She sat her change of clothes and brushes on the countertop before quickly stripping and plunging herself underneath the hot water, only coming up to scrub in the shampoo and conditioner that had been placed on the edge of the tub.

After she had thoroughly cleaned her hair, she gently lathered up her body, carefully rubbing away the tension in her muscles, then rinsed off the suds.

As she was about to dunk herself for the last time, Beth was startled by a noise coming from her bedroom.

She froze, not wanting to make a sound. She waited a few moments, then rose from the water. Nothing. Trying to hurry but not give herself away, she quickly dried off and put on her pajamas. Again, no noise came from the bedroom.

With her hair still dripping from the humidity of the room, Beth gently cracked open the door and turned off the bathroom light. She edged through the doorway and peeked around the bedroom. Sighing to herself, she removed herself from the safety of the door.

"Really Beth, there's nothing to be afraid of."

But as she spoke these words, she was thrown to the floor as a dark shape pounced on her back.

* * *

**Blech, I never knew how dense my story was until I re-read it… there were a LOT of opportunities to re-enter plot points, but I just never took the incentive. Welp, here's the new third chapter.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Fourth chapter! I'm on the ball today! XD **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever *mutters* (though I wish I did) own any characters from InuYasha. They belong to wonderful Takahashi Rumiko-san! Only the plot and some of the characters are mine. Which you can't steal. Or I will find you. x**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Beth threw her hands out on reflex, catching herself before her face smacked the hardwood. Her heart pounded in her ears as she lay still, the weight unmoving from her back.

Then she heard a voice pipe up from behind her head, "Beth-chan, that bag was stuffy."

Rolling her eyes, Beth eased herself up on her elbows. "Lorelai, I told you that you didn't have to ride in my suitcase. You chose to on your own. Now could you please get off me?"

When she felt her back lighten, she stood and turned. In front of her sat a small cat. She looked normal, fluffy white fur perfect for stroking, and bright blue eyes that seemed to shimmer whenever she moved. The only thing that showed she _wasn't _normal was the hot pink, abnormally puffy ribbon that sat on her neck. And the fact she was partially see-through. Lorelai's lower lip protruded in a pout.

"I didn't wanna walk the whole way… it woulda taken too long." She jumped from the floor to Beth's shoulder, stretching out until she lay behind her neck.

"Only you would _want _to be cramped into an unbearably small space to avoid walking, stupid cat," intoned a deep male voice.

Beth rolled her eyes as she began to unpack her belongings. "Please, Amaranth, could you _not _start a fight with Lorelai right now? We've all had a long day, and I don't know about you, but I am _beat_. And I still have to-"

Beth jumped as all of her clothes flew into the closet as if possessed. She heard them clattering onto hangers before the door closed silently behind them. Her toiletries, instruments, and other personal items followed suit, all darting to their respective places.

"There, you're done."

A vein popped out on Beth's forehead as she attempted to control her anger. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, then turned around. "Are you _trying _to make me have a heart attack?"

Sitting, more like lounging, on her window seat, Amaranth shot her one of his trademark smirks that would have caused other girls to swoon. It just made her want to slap him. He was the 'ideal' image for the hot guy in any girlish novel. Long wavy black hair cascaded over his back to his waist, half of it always in a ponytail. The dark clothing he chose to wear (tonight it was navy blue low-rise jeans, a black, long-sleeved shirt, and black sneakers), along with his pale skin accented his blood-red eyes, giving them a mysterious gleam.

"I just wanted to help, Beth. You said you were tired."

Beth had to keep from face palming by clenching her hands together. "Using your magic to make things fly around like a flock of birds doesn't help me. You promised me-"

Amaranth waved his hand at her dismissively. "I know, I know. We're starting over here. No more magic unless necessary." He glanced at Lorelai curled on Beth's shoulder, a scowl on his face. "I still don't understand why you let _that_ stay here."

Lorelai hissed while Beth sighed. "She's my familiar, Ammy. You know that."

She smirked at the wince from the nickname he had achieved in the U.S. "You _know_ I hate that nickname that damn witch gave me!"

Beth smiled. "It's not Briana's fault that your name is so hard to say. Besides, it's a gift she gave you before we left. Be grateful." She walked to the bed and zipped up her suitcase before depositing it into her closet. She scanned the room to see if anything was out of place. Beth skittered over to the bed where her laptop had 'flown', opened it and quickly logged on. "I probably need to contact Aly and Bri so they'll know I'm not dead."

This statement earned a happy squeal from Lorelai and a pained groan from Amaranth.

Beth opened her messaging account and logged in as SilentCat. There were only two contacts in her list: one had the username Wiccan&Proud, the other DigiPanda. Beth smiled and clicked on both usernames.

SilentCat: Hey you guys. What's up?

DigiPanda: Bethie-chaaaan! *glomps* OHMIGOD!

Wiccan&Proud: OMG! Why did it take you so long to message us?! You made us worry, idiot!

Beth giggled. Briana always had a way with words. But she knew that she was just concerned about her. They both were. She smiled. Alysia and Briana had been two girls that she had made friends with outside of the orphanage. They were cousins: Briana was very tall, with cropped black hair and chocolate skin. She was a Wiccan, a fact that made most people turn away from her in fear, but seemed to attract Beth. She loved the girl, looked up to her, and the older girl protected her from anything that would cause her harm.

Alysia looked nothing like her cousin. She was short, about Beth's height, with shoulder-length black hair and caramel skin. Alysia spazzed about the littlest things, and had had a LOT of pent-up energy. But the pint-sized bottle of lightning was the closest thing Beth had to a sister. They would always spend time with each other on the weekends; Mrs. Francoeur thought making new friends outside of the ones she grew up with could be a type of therapy for her. Especially after…

Shaking her head to clear the horrible thoughts away, Beth told her friends about her grueling plane ride, the beautiful shrine, and her newest friend.

Wiccan&Proud: Well I hope that this Kagome doesn't become your new best friend… That's my job. :P

DigiPanda: NO WAY! I'm Bethie's best friend! R-right Beth-chan? *puppy dog eyes*

SilentCat: You're not my friends. *dramatic pause* You're my sisters! No one can ever replace you guys! *huggles*

DigiPanda: YAYS!

Wiccan&Proud: That's what I'm talking about! *hugs*

DigiPanda: Well, I'm glad I got to talk to you, Bethie, but I'mma go to sleep now. Night!

SilentCat: Night Aly-chan!

_DigiPanda has logged off._

Beth released a sigh as she waited for Briana to respond. She could feel what was coming next.

Wiccan&Proud: How are you really, Beth?

SilentCat: Everything's fine right now, Bri.

Wiccan&Proud: No new nightmares?

She winced.

Wiccan&Proud: Beth…?

SilentCat: … I had one on the flight over, okay? It's just a dream.

Wiccan&Proud: Beth… was the thing that killed your parents just a dream?

A pause.

Wiccan&Proud: You know I only ask-

SilentCat: Because you care… I know. It's just… I don't want to remember, Bri. That day… I just want to forget…

Wiccan&Proud: I understand, Bethie. No worries… *huggles* Say hi to Lorelai and Ammy for me. :D

SilentCat: Lol I will.

Wiccan&Proud: Sleep tight, Beth.

SilentCat: Night.

_Wiccan&Proud has logged off. _

Beth pushed the power button. The window vanished and the screen went black. Beth slowly closed the laptop with a soft _click._

Lorelai and Amaranth shared a look, then Amaranth called out. "Beth?"

They both saw her hands shaking, saw the beginnings of sobs shake her torso. In a second, Amaranth had Beth in his arms, holding her to his chest. "Go ahead and cry, baby. It's okay to cry."

And she did, with body-jarring sobs that rocked her small form. Amaranth gently settled onto the window seat, adjusting his precious cargo to where she sat in his lap, facing him. He glanced up at Lorelai's approach.

"It's happening again, isn't it?," she whispered.

Large droplets fell from her crystalline eyes. The man sighed and made some space in his lap for the small white creature, who quickly jumped into the offered space.

Amaranth sighed. "She can never forget what happened to her. She will always be haunted with it." He stroked the girl's moist cheek, bringing her sobs down to quiet sniffles. "But one day I'll find out who made her suffer. And I'll make him feel every terror she has had for the last six years."

He clenched his fist tightly, his eyes dancing as if the smoky coloring in the iris was flying around the inside of his eye. Amaranth turned his attention back to the small form in his lap, now asleep against his chest, along with her small fuzzy companion. He smiled, remembering the first time he had met the small girl. She had captured his heart from the first time he had seen her in the park.

_A three-year-old Beth toddled through the park. Her parents had decided she needed some fresh air, and had walked her to the spacious playground. She was currently chasing a butterfly, black with golden speckles on its wings. She wanted to play with the funny creature, but it kept itself just out of her reach. She passed the swing set, and was heading for the embankment that held the creek. _

_Right before she fell from the edge, a strong arm whisked her up into an equally firm chest._

_The child gazed in wonder at the man with the funny eyes, placing both hands on his cheeks to get a closer look. He had a soft look on his face. _

"_Little one, why are you playing so close to danger?" he asked._

_She answered with a bright smile and the prettiest laugh he ever heard, like the tinkling of bells. In that moment, it was as if Cupid's arrow had pierced through his very soul._

_When her parents began frantically calling her name, he led her to the edge of the trees and let her walk to them. _

He had visited her several times after that, told her that his name was Amaranth, and each time staying longer until he never left her side.

Chuckling to himself, he slightly arched his back. Two large wings unfurled from his shoulder blades, as soft and as black as the cushion he sat on. He gently brushed some hair behind Beth's ear before kissing her cheek, an act he couldn't do while the girl was awake. "Dream of me tonight, love. Let me erase your fears…"

Leaning further into the wall, Amaranth enclosed himself and his sleeping guests into the safety and comfort of his wings.

* * *

Naraku scanned the papers in his hand, watching the small balding man tremble at his prolonged silence. He secretly smiled. Nagi had been his faithful snooper for years. The small man would rat out anyone for a profit, and squeal even more when he was frightened. Even though he was a coward, he was the best man to find information on anyone.

A random thought entered Naraku's twisted mind. _I wonder how long I could make him wait until he urinates on himself in fear? _

Nose wrinkling at the predicted scent of piss in his office, Naraku finally looked at the man full-on. "Is this all of the information that you could find on the girl, Nagi?"

He dropped the stack of papers on his desk, causing Nagi to flinch. "Y-yes N-Naraku-san. T-there's nothing else, I c-cleaned the system s-searching."

One black eyebrow raised. "You're telling me all you could find was that she was last seen at an orphanage in New York two days ago?" The small man nodded.

Naraku placed his hands on his desk. "Oh, Nagi, Nagi, Nagi. You've been a big help, really, but… We can't risk letting a rat like you loose. You're used to squeaking to me, my fat friend, so it's not too far to say that you will do so to others." He snapped his fingers and two large wasps entered the room from a secret panel behind him.

The small man fell to his knees, eyes wide. "No…. not the Saimyousho… no, NO!"

His cries increased to a throaty wail as the wasps' stingers entered his eyes. They popped like balloons, sending the toxins straight into the brain. Nagi's body twitched for a moment, then became still.

Naraku turned from the mangled body to reach for his phone.

"Juroumaru, get someone in here to clean up this mess, before it starts to stain my carpet."

A moment's pause while he listened to the reply.

"Also, send for my driver," a wicked smirk slithered onto his face. "I'll be meeting with the Deadly Dolls tonight…"

* * *

**Finally, I got to where I wanted to be for a while! Woohoo! Anyways, this is the fourth update fro today, so I'll try to story working on the fifth chapter by either this afternoon or tomorrow. Please review and let me know your opinions!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Mkay, so here is the fifth chapter. I hope I haven't driven people away with my sporadic editing… **

**Anyways…**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever *mutters* (though I wish I did) own any characters from InuYasha. They belong to wonderful Takahashi Rumiko-san! Only the plot and some of the characters are mine. Which you can't steal. Or I will find you. x**

* * *

Beth awoke to the warmth of sunlight cascading over her hair, warming it and causing it to shine like copper. She smiled groggily. It had been the first night in a while that a nightmare hadn't awoken her with screams and hellish visions.

She tried to move her arms to stretch, but found them pinned to something hard and warm. _Wait… my bed isn't hard… _she thought.

She lifted her head, her eyes met with dark crimson.

And she screamed.

Amaranth winced and removed his arms from around her to cover his ears. "Jesus Christ, Beth!"

Beth scrambled out of his lap, landing on the hardwood floor. "What the hell was I doing in your lap?!"

Amaranth removed his hands from his ears and glared at her. "You were crying from that witch bringing up your past, and I wanted you to get a good night's sleep for once, so I held you."

She blinked. "All night?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course. The only time you don't have nightmares is when you're sleeping next to me or Lorelai."

He stood, moving to sit by Beth on the floor, and Lorelai, having been rudely awakened by being thrown to the ground, lounged in her mistress' lap.

"Look, I know you've never forgotten what happened that day, but you need to move on. You're only hurting yourself by holding on to the belief that everything you think isn't real will go away. Because believe me, it won't."

He sighed and touched Beth lightly on the cheek, then stood and moved towards the window. Beth, with Lorelai in her arms, followed him, watching as he opened it with a flick of his hand.

"You're leaving?" He turned, smiling at his charge. "Only for a little while. I'm going to stretch my wings, get some air. I suggest you do the same."

He ruffled her hair, while his wings sprouted from his shoulders once again. "Have some fun for me today, alright?" She nodded, and at that, he leapt from the window, disappearing from all human sight as he did.

A shadow among shadows. But not to her.

When his form disappeared over the line of trees towards the west, Beth turned to get dressed for her first day exploring her new home. _Home… _she smiled.

_I'm home…_

* * *

Naraku turned his glass of wine in every direction, watching the burgundy liquid catch the light as he waited for his 'special guests' to arrive.

He had made sure to extend a quite lavish invitation, so he knew it wouldn't be refused.

His parties were always very posh, though every one was another business endeavor, an elaborate get-together so the white collars of the business world could gloat and parade themselves before others, attempting and failing to say 'I'm better than you' in a subtle way.

Tonight, he was to play the 'gracious host', as his "employer" so deftly put it, and gain even more money for Taisho Inc.; the most powerful corporation in the known world.

And even in the unknown one…

Taisho Inc. was known throughout the world for its impressive technology. From electric cars to portable helipads, they had it all.

However, there was a darker side to the prosperous corporation. The owner and founder, Sesshomaru Taisho, and all of his business associates, were demons. They ruled every cursed being, from spirit to guardian entity, in the majority of the world.

Nothing happened that they didn't know about. At least, until now…

A gentle tap on his arm alerted Naraku to the presence of one of his servant: a skinny adolescent whom appeared to be on the verge of puberty. "What?" he growled.

The young man gulped. "Y-you have guests wishing f-for your company in t-the Black Room, my lord."

He squeaked at the glare that pierced him like an arrow. "And who would be the petty old bastard that would have the gall to stay in _my _private room?"

The servant's hands shook. "It is n-not a man, my lord. It is three women."

Naraku blinked, then a smile crept onto his face. "Really now? They've arrived early." He patted the teen on the shoulder. "Thank you, my boy. You may go now."

As he watched the young man weave through the crowd, he made his way to the back of his grand hall, where he met with his personal guard, Juroumaru.

"They are here. Make sure no one follows."

The tall man bowed, his short purple hair falling in front of his face. "Hai."

Naraku left the grandeur of the ballroom, tracing a path that led down several long corridors and into the basement of his home. When they reached what appeared to be a solid marble wall, Naraku waved his hand in front of a small section of the wall, and a small doorway opened, in which both of the men disappeared.

They traveled a short way, passing several openings until they reached two large, black doors. The handles were silver, engraved in such a way that when both were put together, they created a silver spider with shining rubies for eyes.

Juroumaru placed his large hands on the doors, pushing them open to reveal a large sitting area, complete with two plush lounges in blood red upholstery along with a love seat in the same color. And they were all occupied.

Two women, both with the same black hair, but in different styles, sat in the lounges. The other one, with hair as white as new fallen snow, lay on the love seat.

Naraku smirked and motioned for his guard to close the door. "Good evening, ladies. I see you're all comfortable."

The woman in the first lounge had her hair on top of her head worked into an intricate bun. It was accented with white owl feathers, contrasting with her outfit of back high heeled boots, red fishnet leggings, and a black body-hugging mini.

The other had let her hair fall freely down her back to her waist, where it mixed with her onyx colored kimono, which was accented with white and jade dragons dancing from shoulder to hip. Her _geta_ sat on the floor, while her _tabi_ clad feet rested on the edge of the lounga. She stood, sliding her feet into the wooden sandals.

"You called for us, Naraku-sama. I would think you have a job for us to do?"

Naraku eyed the woman.

"Yes Kikyo. I have called you here because my employer wishes to find a girl. A human girl, one he has been seeking for a while. Unfortunately, it seems that all credible information has led us to a halt."

Kikyo smiled, her brown eyes glinting. "And you wish for us to find out more however possible, ne?"

He smirked. "I would greatly appreciate anything you are able to retrieve." The other dark haired beauty stood quickly from her seat. "It shall be done, Naraku-sama. You have our word."

Naraku nodded. "So be it." He turned to leave, then looked over his shoulder.

"I would hope you call yourselves the Deadly Dolls for a reason, for if you should fail…" he chuckled darkly, "…I'm sure my master would enjoy tearing you to pieces."

And with the threat of annihilation hanging in the air, he left, his large servant shutting the doors behind him.

Kikyo placed her hands in her sleeves, a motion she performed often when deep in thought.

"Kagura, we need transportation to New York as fast as you can obtain it." The woman turned to her leader. "Hai, Kikyo-san. I will begin as soon as possible."

"Wait," called a voice.

Kagura turned to glance at the other occupant of the room. The white-haired woman was clad in a simple egg-colored sundress, with sandals on her feet. There were flowers in her hair, white carnations, which emitted a strong poison should anyone unknown come near her. Her gaze slid to her leader. "We must be careful on this journey, for the information we seek could lead to our ultimate undoing."

Kikyo stared at the white-haired woman. Kanna had the gift of prophecy, a factor that Kikyo did not take lightly. Whenever the small woman sought the future, it came true without fail. She nodded. "Then we must tread lightly and stealthily." She turned. "We should head to Times Square first. There's always someone with a quick tongue and a short life there."

Kanna looked up to her companions. "Understood. When do we leave?"

Kagura looked to Kikyo, her eyes held a malicious glint. Kikyo laughed, a light sound that was laced with deception and malice. "Immediately, Kanna."

And as one, the Deadly Dolls left to begin their man hunt.

* * *

Kagome was humming along to the radio when Beth skipped down the stairs to breakfast.

At her expression, Kagome laughed. "Well, aren't we happy this morning?" Beth giggled, grabbing a plate from the countertop.

"I'm just happy to start over, Kagome. It feels like a huge weight has vanished, and now I can finally live." She smiled. "It feels nice."

As Kagome opened her mouth to respond, the television in the living room flickered for a moment. A special report bulletin flashed across the screen as the morning news began. The male reporter began speaking in hurried Japanese.

_We interrupt your normal broadcast with a special news alert: In New Hampshire, a teen was found this morning horribly mangled and hanging from an oak tree in a park outside of Manchester. Dental records have identified her as Keikuro Setsuna, a Japanese exchange student. Keikuro-san had been reported missing since Thursday of last week. Her host family sends their condolences and heartfelt grief to her parents, and her body is to be transported to Tokyo later this evening for burial purposes. _

Kagome brought her hand to her mouth in shock. "My Kami, that's horrible…"

_Authorities say that from the lacerations and bite marks on Keikuro-san's body, it seems to have been an animal attack, but have concluded that her abductor could have attacked her with a trained animal. Molds of the bites taken from the victim show canine attributes. Chief of police Brandon Davis stated that it appeared to be a large dog or wolf. _

_CRASH! _Kagome jumped.

Beth stood in the middle of the kitchen floor, with bits of the porcelain plate scattered around her. She had turned ghostly pale, her eyes glued to the television screen.

_Citizens have been warned to stay indoors until the animal can be found and destroyed, and if anyone has information on the animal, to contact authorities immediately. The police have released a picture of Keikuro-san for her missing persons report. _

A picture flashed onto the screen. A girl with medium length, dark brown hair smiled into the camera. Her bright green eyes glittered with life, and her cheeks blushed with warmth.

Kagome gasped. The girl on the television screen looked exactly like Beth! Besides the facial structure and eye color, the two could have passed as sisters. A chill went down her spine.

Beth fell to her knees, plate bits slicing into her pajama pants. _How could this happen?_ she wondered. Her vision began to swim. A horrible feeling crept into her chest. _Could it be… _

She was shaken out of her stupor by a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see a fuzzy Kagome speaking to her worriedly, but she couldn't hear anything. A horrible ringing had filled her ears. The room around her was fading away, and Beth welcomed the darkness that pulled her under.

* * *

**Oh God… I pulled a trademark damsel in distress and made her faint…. -_- Ah well, it serves my purpose. Please review and let me know how I'm doing!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Well, here we are again. :D Another chapter, another dramatic plot twi- wait… *reads over lines and glares at characters* ANOTHER plot twist?! SERIOUSLY?! **

***sighs* Whatever… hope you guys enjoy.**

**Oh, and just for the record, this is the night AFTER Beth passes out. Sorry if anyone was confused. **

**P.S. Please don't be angry at me for the long wait! College finals are coming up, and I'm hard-pressed to find the right time to update. XP**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever *mutters* (though I wish I did) own any characters from InuYasha. They belong to wonderful Takahashi Rumiko-san! Only the plot and some of the characters are mine. Which you can't steal. Or I will find you.**

* * *

Kagura chuckled as her leader began to gut the homeless man. He had attempted to cop a feel while Kikyo was passing by.

BIG mistake.

The woman enjoyed the torture of the so-called "stronger sex". It proved useful for raising one's sense of power. Especially _after disengaging oneself from a cold-hearted bastard you had loved for so long and he didn't even realize you existed…_

A sickening _squelch _was heard as the poor man's intestines hit the pavement. The hobo fell over in a lifeless heap as the assassin flicked her blade to rid it of blood. "Filthy beast…" she muttered.

She re-positioned her dagger into her thigh sheath, adjusting her kimono over it. She looked up to Kagura. "Well, we have scraped every portion of this piece of scum, and have found no information on the girl's whereabouts."

She sighed and placed a loose hair back into the tight bun at the back of her head. "Perhaps we should call it a night. There is obviously no one with the talent to find out what we need."

The wind witch smirked and turned to see Kanna's reaction. But the small woman was looking in the other direction. Her gaze was locked outside of the alleyway, towards a shady club on the street corner.

_The Rusty Nail. _Sounded… _interesting…_

Kagura turned to her superior. "Kikyo-sama, I believe Kanna has found a lead."

The assassin glanced over the witch's shoulder, a small smile forming. "So I see. Well done, Kanna-chan."

The three women moved as one towards the entrance of the club, dispatching the bouncer flawlessly with a slice to the throat. They walked inside to see several thugs and harlots crowded around the bar, while a few couples gyrated senselessly on the dance floor to the pulsating techno music.

Kikyo looked to her comrades and gave a short nod, Kagura headed towards the bar, while Kanna floated to the back entrance to block it. The leader stood watch over the entire floor.

Kagura made her way through the crowd of smelly punks and prostitutes, attempting not to vomit at the smell of disease, sex, sweat, and booze that hung over them like a massive cloud. She waved the bartender over, a heavy-set man in his late forties. He was cleaning a shot glass with a towel.

"What can I getcha?" he drawled.

She smirked. "I need information."

She saw him tense. "You a cop?"

A chuckle. "Far from it."

He nodded, though he was wary of her. As he should be. He set down the glass and threw the towel over his right shoulder. "What kind of information?"

Kagura placed both elbows up onto the bar. "I need to find someone that is good at digging up files. Identity files. About locating a person."

The bartender stroked his stubbly chin. "A techie, huh. Well, there's one guy that comes in. Good-looking, kinda a lecher. Gets beat up and slapped around a lot. Great with computers and all that. Maybe he can help." He shrugged. "Usually comes in at this time every night…"

No sooner had the words exited his mouth than a man burst through the bathroom door. He was above average height, and tan with bright violet eyes. He had a few piercing in his ears, along with a small ponytail at the base of his head. "So, who's ready to PARTY?!"

He was clearly drunk. She could smell the alcohol on him from where she sat. She almost had to cover her nose, it was worse than the crowds. "Is that him?"

The bartender nodded. "Yup, that's him. Forgot too mention he's usually drunk off his ass." He shrugged.

Kagura grimaced, trying to keep from gagging at the techie's stench. She shot the bartender a glare. "Thanks."

She turned and locked eyes with Kikyo across the room. Her eyes shifted a fraction of an inch in the drunken man's direction. Her superior nodded, and moved in.

Kikyo was grateful that she didn't have youkai senses. Otherwise she would have passed out. The man smelled like a liquor store! There was more alcohol on his clothes than in his bloodstream, she guessed.

As she approached the man, she saw his gaze clear when he caught sight of her, eyes alight with interest and desire. _Ah, so he's a playboy then? _

She pasted a seductive smile onto her face. _Well then, let's play, boy._

~0~

Hakushin Houshi couldn't believe his luck.

One minute he's prepped for a night of hard partying and going home single and alone, and the next he's in the company of three beautiful women inside of a limousine heading for a swanky hotel. _Man, I knew New York was awesome, but DAMN! I wonder what Miroku would say…_

He settled back into the plush seat while the tall one gave him the rundown for his job.

Okay, so he wasn't a guest. At least he was getting paid. AND in the company of hot women.

"Do you understand?" He blinked, drawn from his thoughts. All three women were gazing at him expectantly. _Shit. _

"Oh, uh… yes!" He cleared his throat. "I'm looking for an orphaned girl living in New York between two to six years ago, probably in the suburbs. Her parents died a violent death, which made her eligible for counseling and/or psychiatric help. She's probably between the ages of twelve and eighteen, long auburn hair, green eyes, Caucasian , 5'2". No history of alcohol or drug abuse, no living relatives."

All three women blinked. The tall one spoke again. "Well, yes… that's right…"

The red-eyed one squinted at him. "But how did you-?"

"All it takes to deduce a person's identity are a few simple facts. You just have to know which ones to use."

Hakushin gave them a wink, but his mind was going a hundred miles a minute beneath his assumed alcoholic stupor.

_What interest do Oriental women have with a teenaged American? Their accents sound Japanese… could they be Yakuza? Hmmm… no. They would have tortured me for the information instead. And they seem to be too far away from home to be slave traders, though that is a possibility. Perhaps bounty hunters?_

Whatever the case may be, he would find out the truth one way or another.

He cleared his throat. "Well, if I am to work properly, I'll need to get my computer from ho-"

"We have already taken the liberty of preparing a work station for you. It is waiting at the hotel." Hakushin blinked. "Well then, you are quite the efficient business partners."

~0~

As the limo pulled into the hotel entrance, Miroku was the first out of the back. He stretched and inhaled the cool night breeze.

"What a night to hack the system, am I right?" He turned to look at the women, who gave him an incredulous look. He sighed. "Sorry, techie humor."

He followed the women into the hotel and up to the second floor. They walked down the hall to the last door to the right. It opened to reveal a large suite filled with internet routers, monitors, and so on. It was a geek's dream.

Hakushin drooled at the sight.

Kikyo raised an eyebrow at the goggling male, snapping her fingers at him to get his attention. He snapped out of his daze. "We need you to find the girl we are searching for, remember?" She growled out the last part.

Hakushin rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Eheh, right…" He hurried over to the pile of hardwire and began working his magic. His fingers barely touched the keyboard as he inputted several amounts of information into the U.S. Childcare Database.

After a couple of hours of the male finding nothing, Kagura was getting frustrated. "Hurry up, would you?!" She knew that Naraku was expecting results quickly, yet the smooth-talking male was making little progress.

Kikyo silenced her subordinate. "Kagura, let the man work." She could see the amount of confidential information the techie had bypassed to find what they needed. It would have taken several days for any of their other contacts to reach this point.

This… Hakushin… he was too good to be a simple techie…She watched as he tapped a few more times on the keyboard before raising his arms over his head in triumph. "Success!"

Kikyo hurried to his side to see a file pop up onto the screen.

There was a picture of a girl, no older than twelve, with bright chocolate eyes and deep auburn hair. She wasn't smiling in the picture, and her eyes were red as if she had just stopped crying. Her hair was pulled up into two small pigtails, and her clothes were covered in dirt and what appeared to be blood. There was a name below her picture: Elizabeth Davidson.

Kikyo's lips twisted into a sharp grin. "Found you."

She stood straight and waked back to her subordinates, turning to look back at Hakushin, who had turned around in his swivel chair. "I could only get her picture up right now, but I can dig deeper for her whereabouts if you'd like?"

Kagura smiled, her teeth looking as if they were pointed in the dim light. "That would be wonderful…"

* * *

_Blood. _

_So much blood. _

_It covered the hardwood floor, pooling beneath the bodies leaning against the far wall. _No… _Kagome, Sakura, and little Souta all lay there. _

_Dead. _

_Their blank eyes gazed at her, accusing her. _YOU did this. YOU'RE the reason we're like this. _"No… nononononono…. It wasn't… I didn't do this…" Beth clutched her chest, right above her heart. She could feel it breaking. _

_A noise from behind her went unnoticed. She was focused on the bodies of her family laying before her. "It wasn't my fault! I-I didn't do this…" A louder noise caused her to turn her head._

_And she screamed bloody murder. _

_It stood there, eyes taking her in, devouring her. Its fur would have been a pearlescent white, except it glistened with the life of her family. The giant wolf licked its chops, advancing on her. Beth stood, terrified. _

I can't just stand here. I have to _move! She dashed for the kitchen door, the claws of the beast clacking as it followed her. She reached the door and swung it as hard as she could into the wolf's face, earning a loud yelp as it connected with its snout. _

_She sprinted for the front door, her heart thumping loudly in her ears. A loud snarl told her the door had done nothing to the wolf but make it angry. Beth almost sobbed in relief when she grabbed the door handle and twisted it. _

_It wouldn't open. _

_She panicked, jiggling and wrenching the knob side to side in order to loosen it. _

_It broke into her hand. _

"_NO!" She screamed. She turned and saw the wolf breaking through the kitchen door, its eyes focused on hers. There was something swimming inside those red depths. Something familiar… Beth shook her head to clear her thoughts, then dashed to the staircase. _

_She reached the bottom just as a large _CRUNCH_ sounded. It had broken through the door. Beth sprinted up the stairs, hoping to find a weapon or a hiding spot on the upper level. She turned half-way up to see the wolf at the bottom of the stairs. She gasped. _

_Its eyes weren't red. _

_They were _gold.

_Just like…_

_She didn't see the loose carpet until it was too late. Beth screeched in pain as her foot twisted backwards, a snapping sound heard as her ankle was broken. She scrambled to reach the top of the stairs, crawling on her hands and knees despite the pain. _

_A cold hand grabbed her unhurt ankle, yanking her backwards. _

_Beth gasped as she was launched backwards. She flew through the air for a minute, before landing on a hard chest. She struggled to release herself from her captor, smelling the blood on him. "Let GO!" She screamed. _

_The male chuckled. "Did you really think you could escape? I've searched too long for you, my dear. And I'm not letting you go. Ever. AGAIN." _

_There was a blood-chilling shriek as sharp fangs descended on her neck._

~0~

Beth jerked awake, shooting straight up in her bed, then groaning at the intense dizziness. After the feeling went away, she looked around, blinking her eyes. _A… dream…?_

She jumped when Kagome opened her bedroom door. "You're awake?!" The girl rushed into the room, hugging her friend. "Thank Kami… I thought you were dead for a while there! You just collapsed on the floor. Okaa-san was almost in tears."

Beth blushed in embarassment. "G-gomen nasai… I didn't mean to…" She glanced out of the corner of her eye to see Lorelai hiding in her closet, one ear and eye poking out from the edge of the door. She rubbed her eyes gently.

"What happened, Beth-chan? You looked so scared when that story came on the news. And that girl… she looked so much like you…" Kagome rubbed her arms, willing the impending goosebumps away. "I'm scared for you, imouto…"

She brought the younger girl into a gentle hug, petting her head in comfort. Beth hesitantly wrapped her arms around her friend's waist, trying not to cry. Kagome spoke again.

"Please, don't leave me out of your pain. Let me in, Beth-chan." The American girl sighed, pulling away from her friend. She held the Japanese girl's hands in her own. "Kagome… you know about my parents… how they died in an accidental fire when I was younger?" At her nod, Beth released a shaky breath. "Well… that's not the whole truth…"

* * *

***dodges violent vegetable-throwers* I know, I'm horrible to leave you all like this right after I updated again, but I need to leave it here for now, guys. You may get mad at me, but the cliffhanger suits my purposes for where I want to go with the story. **

**Please let me know what you think~!**


	7. Chapter 6

**This will be the first time in a while that I've updated on this story, and I'm really sorry for keeping those of you that are still reading it waiting. I've just had a lot come up having to do with work and family, so I'll try to get the new chapters up as soon as I can. I PROMISE I haven't forgotten. **

**Just a note: In case there is confusion, Beth and Kagome are not actually sisters, they just call each other that because of how close they've become. Sorry if there was a misunderstanding…**

**Also, I would like a little feedback from the readers. Since it HAS been so long since I updated the story, do you think I should go back and re-write it once more? Or leave it and let it go where it will? I would enjoy some form of criticism on this.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever *mutters* (though I wish I did) own any characters from InuYasha. They belong to wonderful Takahashi Rumiko-san! Only the plot and some of the characters are mine. Which you can't steal. Or I will find you.**

* * *

Kagome stared at her friend, confusion clear in her bright blue eyes. "What do you mean, Beth-chan?"

Beth sighed, rubbing her thumbs over Kagome's knuckles. "Well, while it's true that my house caught fire when my parents died… the fire isn't what killed them…" She bit her lip, debating whether to spill everything to her new sister.

Kagome tightened her grip on her friend's hands. "Then tell me. I want to be let in, imouto. Help me understand what you're going through."

The brunette released her friend's hands, using them to rub her eyes. She sighed again. "Alright, I'll tell you. But on one condition…"

She looked up into the older girl's face. "You cannot tell _anyone _what I'm about to tell you. It'll be our secret."

Kagome bit her lip. "What about okaa-san and Souta?"

Beth thought for a moment. "Okay, you can tell them. But no one else outside of the family."

Kagome nodded. "Understood."

A creaking sound made both girls turn their heads.

The closet door had swung open, and Lorelai slowly trotted up to her mistress's bed. She looked from Beth to Kagome, silently debating with herself.

Beth bit her lip as the cat leapt from the floor into her lap. She ran a hand through her familiar's pearlescent fur, wincing when her sister blinked at the feline in confusion.

"I didn't know you had a pet, Beth-chan."

The American opened her mouth to speak, but Lorelai beat her to it. She stuck out her lower lip in a childish pout. "I'm not a pet, Kagome-sama."

The girl jumped from the comforter as if she had been burned. She stared at the cat in open-mouthed shock.

"D-did that cat just… talk?!"

Lorelai bowed her head to the raven-haired girl.

"Forgive my rudeness, Kagome-sama. I am Beth's familiar, Lorelai. I am a bakeneko, her spiritual guardian." She raised her head. "I would have shown myself sooner if I had known that a powerful miko resided here. My deepest apologies."

Beth's brow furrowed. "Bakeneko? Miko?" She turned to her cat. "Lorelai, what are you saying?"

Kagome answered slowly, still absorbing the fact that there was a talking cat in her house.

"A miko is a Shinto priestess with spiritual powers. She has the ability to purify youkai, or demons and prevent sickness and bad energy. Whereas a bakeneko is a type of Japanese demon. They usually cause distress and mischief, but I have never seen one willingly tied to a human being before, especially as a guardian."

After a few more tense moments, the Japanese girl relaxed her posture and turned to Beth.

"But she called you a-"

"Miko. Yes."

Beth blinked. "You're a priestess?"

At Kagome's nod, Beth whistled. "Wow… that's so cool!"

Kagome blushed. "Believe me, it's not something I flaunt around. Nowadays, the Shinto religion isn't as practiced as it used to be, so my powers aren't really needed. But there have been some times that I've had to use them for self-defense."

Beth's eyes widened. "Self-defense? From what?"

Lorelai looked up at her mistress. "There are several demons still around today, Beth-chan. You of all people should know this."

The girl blushed.

Kagome walked back over to her sister's side, slowly reaching out to pet the bakeneko's fur.

"Youkai have taken precautions these days to avoid human detection. In the past, they were feared and respected, but the human population has grown to where we outnumber them at least a hundred to one."

She scratched behind Lorelai's ear, smiling when the cat began purring.

"They use spells and charms to hide their features so they can coexist, but there are some that still prey on humans."

Kagome stopped petting Lorelai to rub a spot on her left arm. "I had a run in with a spider hanyou once. He attacked me out of fear, I suppose. My family has especially potent spiritual powers." She sighed. "I gave him quite the scar. Doubt he can heal it to this day."

She rolled up her sleeve. "Though he left his mark as well."

On her skin were three slashes, light pink in color, running from her wrist to her elbow. The edges were ragged, leaving thin ridges in their wake.

Beth gasped, clutching her friend's arm. "My God, Kags! How long ago did this happen?!"

Kagome shrugged. "A few years ago. Maybe three or four." She gently pulled away her arm and rolled her sleeve back down. "Really Beth-chan, it's not that big of a deal."

The American gaped at her. "Not a big de-… KAGS! He could have ripped off your whole arm! From that scar I'm surprised he didn't do worse!"

Kagome smiled at her sister. "Thank you for the concern, Beth-chan. But really, there's no need for you to worry so much. I actually got off really easy, considering what could have happened."

Beth opened her mouth to respond, but closed it again. "I suppose you're right…"

Kagome smiled at her, but it quickly fell when there was a tapping sound at the window. "What was that?" She whispered.

Beth tilted her head to the side, appeared to listen for something, then waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Oh, it's just Amaranth."

She stood from the bed only to have Kagome push her back down. "And just _who_ is Amaranth, might I ask?"

The tapping increased.

Beth sighed. "He's a friend."

Kagome glared at her younger sister. "Beth…"

Even louder tapping.

The girl rubbed her hand down her face, clearly growing irritated. "Look, he's just a friend. Trust me, he's harmless, but he's also trustworthy, so just don't-"

_WHAM!_

"-freak out…"

The window had been thrown open. A large gust of wind blew through it, along with some leaves from the grounds outside.

But what drew the most attention was the very large, very manly form that took up most of the frame.

Amaranth was propped on the sill, wings fully outstretched. His hair blew around him, and his eyes were open and focused on Kagome and Beth. The former was standing in wide-eyed shock, while the latter groaned aloud. He smirked and stood from his crouched position. "Did you miss me, love?"

Beth face palmed. "Don't' call me that." She moaned. "Why do you always have to be so dramatic?"

He chuckled, hopping down from the window seat. "Because it's so much fun to ruffle your feathers." His mouth fell open in a comical face and he pointed at his charge. "Get it, get it? Ruffle your FEATHERS?!"

Beth fell over backwards into her pillow. "God, why did I have to make friends with an idiot…?"

Amaranth smirked, closing and locking the window with a snap of his fingers. "You know you enjoy my company. Besides, you were taking forever to answer."

His gaze finally found Kagome's and a brow rose. "What's up with her?"

The Japanese girl finally closed her mouth with a click. She turned and pointed at the man over her shoulder. "So this… is your friend, Beth-chan?"

The girl grunted in response. "Unfortunately…" She raised off the pillow and waved her hand in the tengu's direction. "Kagome, meet Amaranth. Amaranth, Kagome."

Amaranth strode over to the befuddled girl and gently clasped her hand. He raised it to his lips and gave it a chaste kiss. "Delighted to meet you."

She flushed. "W-well then… v-very nice to meet y-you too…"

Beth pulled her new sister away from her charismatic guardian. "Yeah, yeah, enough with the charming, Ammy." She smirked when she heard him growl.

Kagome sat on the edge of the bed, pulling Beth down with her. "Well, now that that's over… weren't you going to tell me something?"

Beth blinked, then smacked her forehead. "Oh, right! How I became…" she sighed forlornly, "an orphan…"

She licked her lips. "Well, it started about ten years ago… I had just started to come into my powers…"

Kagome's brow furrowed. "Powers? What powers?"

Beth sighed. "My spiritual powers. I've been clairvoyant since birth…"

* * *

_An eight-year-old Beth ran down the sidewalk, tears in her eyes. _

_She had been playing on the playground when Francis, the school bully, had pulled her off the swing set. She had pushed her down, and her followers kicked dirt into her face. _

_Francis callously spit into her hair. _

"_You're a freak, you'll never have any friends if you keep taking to yourself!"_

_Beth sped up, trying to see the way home through her curtain of tears. _

Why doesn't anybody else see what I do…?_ She thought. _

Why am I the only one…

_Beth was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't see the person standing in front of her until it was too late. With a loud "UGH!" she collided with a strong pair of legs, which sent her falling. _

_But before she felt the scrape of concrete on he skin, arms scooped her out of the air. _

"_Elizabeth?" _

_Through her tears, the girl looked up into the brown eyes of her next door neighbor, Mr. Shane Usotsuki. The man was in his mid-twenties, with light blonde hair and pale skin. His face showed concern. _

_Beth sniffled, trying not to cry in front of her nice neighbor. But when she thought back on the cause of her tears, the floodgates were thrown open. _

_The bawling little girl buried her head into Shane's shoulder, crying for all she was worth._

_~0~_

"_Ah, so it was a bully, huh?" _

_Beth and Shane currently sat inside the man's kitchen. Shane had brought her in to try and comfort her. He had asked her to help him make cookies, and she readily agreed. _

_Beth grabbed another chocolate chip cookie, dunked it into her milk, and took a bite. "Mmmhmm…" She swallowed. "Everybody makes fun of me at school, especially at recess. They call me names, like freak or weirdo, cause they think…" _

_Shane raised his eyebrow in question. "They think… what?" _

_He watched the girl's face grow cold. She lowered her head. "It-it's nothing…"_

_Shane placed a hand underneath Beth's chin, lifting it up to look into her eyes. "Elizabeth, you know you can talk to me about anything. What's wrong?"_

_Her lower lip trembled, and she began to cry again. "They think I talk to myself, when I don't!"_

_Shane's brow wrinkled in confusion. "What do you mean, Beth?"_

"_I have a friend I talk to. He's big and strong. He watches out for me, and he follows me everywhere. He's my guardian angel. But nobody believes me! No one else can see him except me!" She rubbed her eyes. "I've tried to tell them he's real, but they never listen."_

_Beth looked up into her neighbor's eyes. Shane had always listened to her, he would understand! She had told him secrets not even her parents knew. "You believe me, don't you?" _

_He smiled, pulling her into a hug. "Of course, Elizabeth. I'll always believe you." He stroked her head gently, comforting her the best he could, then sent her home. _It's perfectly natural for a child to have an imaginary friend. She'll eventually grow out of it.

* * *

Beth bit her lip.

"I tried to just ignore the things that no one else saw, hoping that they turned out to be figments of my imagination…but that only made things worse. I began to accept the fact that what I saw was real, the spirits and such surrounding me weren't fake. I kept visiting Shane for advice, and over the years, we grew… close…"

* * *

_A twelve-year-old Beth blushed as she hurried home. She almost dreaded what she was about to do, and yet she also welcomed the thrilling sensation. _

_Today was Valentine's Day, and she had made a special present for her neighbor, Shane. She knew he was at least fifteen years older than her, but she wanted to show how much she appreciated his advice and confidence over the years. _

_She clutched her tiny gift to her chest as she approached Shane's yard. She almost lost her nerve when she saw him getting his mail, but she pressed onward. _

_Shane raised his head and smiled at her. "Hello, Elizabeth!" _

_Beth smiled and blushed. "Hey Shane." _

_She stopped at the gate while Shane leaned against the mailbox. Beth saw his gaze jump from her face to the package she held in her hands, and she thought she saw something flash in his eyes for a second. _

_He replaced the smile on his face. "How was your day at school?" _

_Beth smiled brightly. "It was great actually. I got a lot of candy and cards from the boys in my class." _

_Shane's smile became forced. "Oh. Well, do you like one of them?"_

_Beth made a face. "Eeewww… those boys are infested with diseases… I might catch their stupid." She looked up at her neighbor, a blush beginning to form on her face. "B-but I do have a gift for somebody."_

_Shane raised a brow at her. "Oh? And who would that be?" Both brows shot up when she held out the gift to him. _

"_I-it's a thank you for always being there for me, and for listening to me when I was being whiny…"_

_He slowly took the package from her hands. She waited in trepidation as he opened the box. _

_To say he was speechless was an understatement. Inside the box was a golden chain, and hanging from it was a silver charm in the shape of a dog. Its head was tilted to the sky in a silent howl. _

"_Elizabeth… this is beautiful…"_

_Beth clapped her hands in glee when Shane slipped the chain over his head, letting the charm fall right between his pecs. He smiled at the young girl. "Thank you for the wonderful present."_

"_Do you really like it?"_

_He nodded. "I love it."_

_Beth giggled and hugged him tightly. "I'm so happy! I thought you would like it!"_

_Shane smiled and gently hugged her. The feeling of her soft, warm body against his stirred hidden feelings inside of him. He unknowingly let loose a rumbling purr from his chest._

_Shane paled. _Shit…_ "Elizabeth… I can explain…" _

_Beth jumped back at the sound. "Are you… growling?" Something told her that she shouldn't be here right now… She needed to go home. Beth backed up a step. "Uh… I-I gotta go…" She turned and ran for her house. _

_Shane watched the girl go, pain filling his heart. He slammed his hand on the edge of the fence, leaving a large hand print embedded into the wood. _I've made a mistake…

* * *

"That was the beginning of the worst week of my life…"

* * *

_Beth sighed as she made her bed. She hadn't seen Shane in a couple of days, and whenever she'd pass his house, she'd hurry along so he wouldn't see her. _

_After the growling incident, Beth had gotten a really off feeling whenever she would think about the blonde man. It was almost like… there was something he was hiding from her. _

_A fluttering of wings told her that Amaranth had returned from his nightly flight. _

"_Whew, it's a bit chilly out tonight." He puttered in over the windowsill and stretched, his wings disappearing into his back. _

_Beth 'hnn'ed in agreement. Amaranth raised a brow. _

"_I think you should leave it open tonight. Some fresh air might clear your mind." The tengu walked over to the bed and flopped down onto it, laying back on the pillows. _

_Beth gazed out the now-open window, her eyes catching the lights in her neighbors house flick on. "That's weird." Her brow furrowed. "Shane usually goes to bed by now. I wonder what he's up for?"_

_Amaranth snorted and rose from his nest of downy softness. "Beth, Mr. Usotsuki _does _have a personal life. He may be entertaining guests." _

_He walked up beside her, placing his hands on the windowsill. "If I had a house like that, I'd throw at least five parties a night."_

_Beth rolled her eyes. "Who are you kidding, you'd never stop throwing parties."_

_His grin proved her right. He wrapped his arms around her form, gently nuzzling her head. "You know me too well."_

_She laughed and turned to look back out her window when a flash of white caught her attention. She turned her head to find it, but it was long gone. A sense of foreboding enveloped her, but she just shrugged it off as nerves. _

_Amaranth's hand on her shoulder stirred her from her thoughts. "Come on, love. It's time for bed. You have a big day tomorrow."_

~0~

_The next day began rather well for Beth._

_She awoke to her parents standing before her, singing Happy Birthday and holding a stack of pancakes with a candle stuck into the top. She had forgotten it was her birthday until Amaranth reminded her. _

_She had gotten a necklace from her parents as a pre-party gift: a golden chain and a pendant in the shape of black angel's wings. It hung proudly around her neck as she walked to school. _

_Beth slowed almost to a stop when she reached Shane's house. She bit her lip in trepidation when she saw his shape in the front window. _Just walk really fast, Beth. _She broke out into a near jog, almost reaching the other side of his driveway when a hand caught her shoulder roughly._

"_Elizabeth…" she tensed. Beth turned around to meet with her neighbor's haggard appearance. His hair was tousled and greasy, along with his clothes. Dark bags sitting under his eyes, which were filled with anger and a hint of something she couldn't place. _

_She yanked her shoulder out of his grasp. "Can I help you, Mr. Usotsuki?" She saw him wince at the formality. _

"_Elizabeth, I must ask you something. I-"_

"_You don't _have _to do anything!" She turned and was stopped by him again. She huffed. "Alright, what is it?"_

_He sighed, running his hand through his lengthening blonde locks. "I saw something last night that I really hope was my imagination." He looked up into her eyes, pain filling his honey gold orbs. _

"_Was there a man with you in your bedroom last night?"_

_Beth paled. "W-what…" _There is no way! He's bluffing…. Right?

_Shane stood tall, his eyes focused on her still form. "Your silence speaks volumes, Elizabeth." _

_He started walking towards her, his stride mimicking that of a predator. His eyes had become chips of solid amber, his hair looking brighter than before. "Who is he?" _

_Beth backed away from him with each step he took towards her, her heart beating erratically. "H-he's a friend! He's my protector!" She closed her eyes tightly. "My ANGEL!"_

_She turned and ran, afraid to look back and see what the expression on her neighbor's face was. She didn't stop until she reached the school's front doors. _

_~0~_

_Beth took the long way home that day, walking around her block through the playground, then coming to her house on the corner. She breathed a sigh of relief when there was no sign of Shane anywhere around. _

_Her home was strangely quiet when she unlocked the front door. "I'm home!" she called. No one answered. "Hello?" _

_She wandered into the living room, a frown on her face. "Huh. Maybe they're still at work?" _

_Beth wandered to the kitchen to get a snack. She rummaged through her refrigerator, grabbed an apple, and headed back to the living room. She went upstairs and began her homework._

_A couple of hours later, Amaranth came through her window from his daily flight. He gazed at her in confusion. "Beth, why aren't you downstairs celebrating with your parents?" _

_Beth shrugged. "I haven't seen them since this morning. I guess they're still at work or something."_

_The tengu's brow scrunched in thought. "But I flew by here a couple of hours ago and they were here… with…" his eyes widened. "… Shane…"_

_Beth felt her stomach drop. "M-maybe they're planning something as a surprise?"_

_He shook his head. "they looked like they were arguing about something. It started to get a little.. Physical."_

_She bit her lip and flew back down the stairs, Amaranth close behind her. "Mom?! Dad?!" Her cries echoed around the entry way. She rushed into her living room, finding it still empty, then to her father's office, hoping that they were hiding in order to surprise her._

_Nothing._

_She entered the kitchen, prepared for the worst. A birthday cake, decorated with white and blue icing, sat on the kitchen table. The words "Happy Birthday Bethie!" were pasted on in black icing. Several blue candles decorated the cake, the wax creating tiny puddles on the surface of the pastry. _

_Amaranth growled slightly. "This isn't good… this has been sitting here for a while…" He stepped up beside the now trembling girl, holding her gently to his side. "I think we need to leave, Beth. Something doesn't feel right…" _

_She shook her head. "I-I have to find them… t-to make sure they're alright…" She broke from his hold and stumbled back to the stairs, hoping to reach her cell phone and call her parents. But a noise from upstairs made her freeze in her steps. _

_It was a squelching, almost a _gnawing _noise, like some wild animal was tearing into a carcass. She shuddered, goose bumps ghosting over her skin. Amaranth was instantly beside her, a comforting hand on her shoulder. He inhaled deeply, then coughed. _

"_I smell decay…" he muttered. He looked at the teary-eyed Beth. "Stay here," he commanded. _

_She shook her head. "If you go, so do I." _

_He sighed, then relented. "Alright." He interlocked their fingers, then led her up the stairs slowly, following the gut-wrenching noises to their source: her parent's bedroom. _

_Beth gasped as a puddle of bright red liquid was slowly condensing into a puddle in the carpet under the crack of the door. Her form started to shake. "Oh my God…"_

_The noises suddenly stopped. _

_Amaranth grabbed the knob and threw open the door. They were both shocked by what they saw._

_Beth's mother was strewn across the floor right in front of the door, her eyes wide and unseeing. Her throat was open, leaking blood onto the once-ivory carpet. Her chest cavity was cracked open, the organs strewn across the floor, half-eaten. _

_Her father's legs are the only thing visible from the doorway, but a larger crimson pool surrounds them. Amaranth looks into the room and curses, covering his mouth with a hand. _

_Beth sank to the carpet, her stomach close to spilling its contents all over the floor. Her eyes were wide and filled with unshed tears. _

"_W-who could have done this…?" Her eyes find Amaranth's, a pleading look in them._

_He opened his mouth to respond when a loud growl shakes the house. He looks up and grabs Beth. "Holy SHIT!" _

_Beth looks up and screams._

_A large white wolf stood in the center of her parents' bedroom. Its muzzle was coated in blood, some dripping onto the carpet from its snout. Its hair bristled as it took in the sight of the two. _

_Amaranth slowly backed up, Beth wrapped tightly in his arms. The wolf tensed, a snarl ripping from its teeth. The tengu hissed, his wings unfolding from his back. "Beth, I need you to run." _

_She shivered in fear. "I-I can't just leave you!" _

_He smiled without looking at her. "I'll be fine. Trust me." He gently squeezed her shoulders. "Now, I need you to run. For me."_

_She bit her lip, not wanting to leave her guardian angel, but he knew what he was doing. She nodded slowly._

_He released her._

_She bolted for the stairs, a ear-splitting howl following her. She didn't turn around as she leapt down the steps, a sigh of relief escaping her when she saw the front door before her. _

_Something large and black flew by her head, and she skidded to a stop when Amaranth's bruised and bloody body hit the doorframe. He grunted in pain, but stood back up. "Use… back…" he pointed to the kitchen._

_Beth nodded and ran for the swinging kitchen door, wincing when the sound of bodies colliding met her ears. _

_She hit the door hard, barely stopping when she slammed her hip into the kitchen table in her haste. The cake and candles went to the floor, only a couple staying lit. _

_She winced at the feeling of her bruised hip, a hand settling over it to try and ease the pain. _

_But at the sound of the door opening, all pain was forgotten. _

_The breath left her lungs when she took in the sight of the wolf in the doorway, its muzzle colored even brighter with fresh blood. It licked its chops, and a black feather fell slowly to the floor. _

_Beth's eyes widened. "No…"_

_The animal crept towards her, its eyes boring into her. Her gaze shifted from the wolf, to the door, and back. She knew she couldn't make it to the outside before she was caught and probably killed. Tears of frustration welled in her eyes. _

_Her gaze finally found the candles scattered around her feet, and an idea began to form in her head._

_She knelt slowly, wary of the giant canine in front of her, then reached for a lit candle. Her fingers grazed the flame, and she bit back a yelp of pain. They finally found the ribbed column of the stick and she picked it up._

_She began to move around the wolf, slowly making her way to the door. She had a feeling it would find out her plan soon, and she was right._

_Once the animal saw what she was doing, it growled deep in its throat. A warning. _

_She grit her teeth, stopping right in front of the oven. "You want me, fluffy? Come and get me."_

_It leapt at her, jaws wide. She ducked, rolling out of the beast's way and towards the back door. The beast hit the stovetop, knocking the entire oven off-kilter and snapping the gas line in the process. A high whistling sound permeated the air._

_Beth threw the door wide open and ran, chucking the candle behind her in the process. _

_She watched in slow motion as the wolf watched the lit candle fly through the air, into the path of the gas. Its eyes widened in an almost human way, and before it could bark, a huge explosion rocked the house. _

_White noise filled her ears as she fell onto the grass, a haze clouding her vision. She tried to stand, but couldn't get her balance. _

_She saw Amaranth rush over to her and check her for any serious injuries, and under his ministrations, she lapsed into unconsciousness._

* * *

Beth sighed. "A couple of firefighters found me a little while later. I had a nosebleed, several bruises, and a minor concussion. They told me I was lucky to be alive." She ran her fingers through Lorelai's fur, calming herself after the rush of memories.

Kagome sat in shocked silence, absorbing the information she had just received. "I can't believe that… you had to go through something so horrible…"

Beth sighed. "Well, it hasn't been easy. Especially with the recent kidnappings lately."

Kagome nodded. "I almost forgot about that. And didn't _they _all look like you too, Beth-chan?"

The girl nodded. "It's frightening to know that some girl with a similar face to mine is getting chewed up by some beast out there." She shuddered.

The miko wrapped her arm around her sister's shoulder. "So, what happened to Shane?"

Amaranth spoke up. "The guy just disappeared. Left town not too long after that, I'm guessing. The other neighbors said something about 'family issues.'"

He snorted.

"A load of crap, if you ask me. It's too much of a coincidence that that dog gets blown up and then the creep just up and disappears." He crossed his arms over his chest, a frown creasing his brow.

Beth sighed. "He thinks Shane had something to do with the attack."

The tengu interrupted her. "I don't think. I _know._ There's no way that bastard wouldn't have come to find you if he knew you were orphaned and alone." His lip curled. "Fucking pedophile."

Lorelai's tail flicked at the last comment. "Well, whatever happened in the past is repeating itself, sans the exploding houses. Someone is out there kidnapping girls that look like Beth-chan."

Kagome worked her lower lip in between her teeth. "And he isn't afraid to kill, either." She rose from the bed and began to pace. "This is bad… we need to find a way to protect you, imouto. Besides Amaranth-san following you around all the time."

Beth sighed. "What do you recommend?"

The miko thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers. "I have the perfect plan! We can get a protection spell for you!"

Beth raised a brow. "Protection spell?"

Kagome nodded. "Yep! It'll keep away any unwanted attention! But it has to be done carefully." She clapped her hands in glee. "And I know just the person to make one!"

* * *

**Okay…this is literally twelve pages on my Word Processor. XP My fingers are sore from writing this. I hope you guys enjoy! Please leave me some feedback! **

**We'll be seeing some more of the Inutachi in the next chapter, as well as some more dastardly plans! ;D**


	8. Chapter 7

**Alright, well, I know it's been a while since I've updated, but it's been a long break! But I'll be starting my JanTerm next week, so I should get more computer time. Which means I'll have some more time to update and let my plot bunnies procreate and give me ideas. :3 **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever *mutters* (though I wish I did) own any characters from InuYasha. They belong to wonderful Takahashi Rumiko-san! Only the plot and some of the characters are mine. Which you can't steal. Or I will find you.**

* * *

Hakushin cracked his knuckles as he surveyed his work. He had almost 20 gigabytes worth of information about this girl pulled up on his computer screen. Being an ex-military hacker sure had its perks. He looked up at the window to see streaks of sunlight filtering through the curtains.

_Wow, I've been up all night? _he thought. After thinking a moment, he shrugged.

_Ah well, at least I'm getting paid for this._

Hakushin looked over his shoulder to see all three of the women had fallen asleep on the two queen-sized beds. The one called Kikyo was sprawled across one, and Kagura and Kanna were smushed together on the other.

He was tempted to shake them all awake to show his findings, but decided against it after he caught the glint of Kikyo's thigh sheath.

_These gals don't play around… maybe they _are _Yakuza…_

He started when Kagura gave an unladylike snort and shot up from the bed, jolting the other two women into wakefulness.

She caught Hakushin watching her, and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Well, what did you find?"

He snorted. "A good morning to you too…"

A look at the now-fully-awake Kikyo silenced him. He cleared his throat, getting back into business mode.

"Well, everything that wasn't fully encrypted is saved into this file." He pointed at the computer folder entitled "Elizabeth."

"The newest file I could grab was created back in 2009. It was for an adoption screening. Most of the information was deemed 'classified', however," he held up his finger to stop Kagura's interruption, "I was able to find out where the orphanage was located, and the exact address."

He handed Kikyo a slip of paper. "The location is nearby, in New York City. It's located close to Long Island, near the coast."

She scanned the coordinates scribbled on the note, her mind already working out the fastest way of traveling there. She looked back up at Hakushin, a quicksilver smile pasted onto her lips.

"Thank you so much. You have been a great help."

She allowed Kagura to take the flash drive containing the folder from him, then turned towards the door. "Our work here is finished. We shall take our leave now."

Hakushin started from his swivel chair. "W-wait! What about my payment?!"

Kikyo waved her hand over her shoulder. "Kanna will take care of you. Kagura and I will be waiting outside."

She walked out the door, the wind sorceress following close behind.

Hakushin looked at the door in confusion, then looked back at the white-clad woman.

"Well? Where's my money?"

Kanna, her eyes locked onto the floor, didn't even blink. "Your payment is in my possession. I shall retrieve it promptly."

She stood from the bed and slowly approached Hakushin.

He blinked, then a lecherous smirk crept onto his face. _Do they use sex as payment?! This chick seems a bit stiffer than the other two, but hey, I'm game. Man, would my cousin be pissed…_

Reaching into her pocket, Kanna withdrew a small compact. It was bright porcelain, with flowers engraved onto the lid. She popped it open, and inside was a small mirror. No powder.

Hakushin, who had been watching her, chuckled a bit. "No need to get pretty for me, sweetheart. I'm not into a whole lot of make-up."

Kanna finally drew her eyes up to his face. Hakushin began to back away from the girl, fear and confusion battling in his eyes.

She had no life in her eyes. Only a black void.

While he was hypnotized by her haunting gaze, Kanna pulled her mirror up to face the man, her hands steady.

"You have given three very dangerous women information on an innocent girl over something as worthless as money. I do not see any point in you staying alive. Your skills were useful to myself and my companions, however, you could use those same gifts to bring misfortune upon us."

She raised her mirror slightly so that Hakushin's gaze fell upon its surface.

"For that, you must be eliminated."

A swirling mist began to seep forth from the mirror, its smoky cloud wrapping around Hakushin's paralyzed form. It seeped into his chest, and a pained expression crossed his face.

A bright white glow emanated from him for a moment, then the fog raced back into the mirror, a white form trapped within it.

When the last of the mist re-entered the mirror, Kanna closed the compact.

Hakushin dropped to the floor, dead. His eyes were still glazing over as Kanna left the hotel room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Kikyo didn't even look up from the paper when she spoke. "Is it done?"

"Yes."

Kagura scoffed, opening and closing her fan in an agitated manner. "I wish you would have let me take care of him. Kanna always gets the honors."

Kikyo folded the paper thrice and stuffed it in between her breasts, re-adjusting her kimono afterwards. "You and I both know that Kanna's soul-stealing technique is the cleanest and quietest method of death. It can be explained quickly as a stroke or heart attack. It means less investigation, and less trouble for us."

She turned and glided to the elevator, opened the doors, and entered, the other two close behind. "We shall leave promptly, so that we may reach the location before evening comes. We'll track down the head of the establishment and question them. Be discreet, however, use force only if necessary. We'll play it by ear from there."

As the doors closed, Kikyo stood tall, her eyes filled with determination. "We shall not fail."

* * *

After her declaration, Kagome had hurried Beth into getting dressed, dragging her downstairs afterwards. She guided Beth to the couch, where Amaranth and Lorelai joined her.

"Wait right here," she insisted.

Beth raised an eyebrow. "O-kay?"

Kagome rushed into the kitchen and started making several phone calls on the house phone. She seemed to get more and more excited as time passed. Beth looked worriedly at her companions. Both shrugged, clearly confused about the way the miko was acting.

Finally, after around thirty minutes of calling, Kagome walked into the living room, a bright smile on her face.

"I just set up a little get-together with some of my friends. I've told them all about you, and they're really excited to meet you."

Beth blinked. "Uhm… okay, so how is this supposed to help me? I thought we were looking for someone to make me a protection spell?"

Kagome smiled knowingly at her new sister. "Well, yes, but don't you want to socialize a bit? Get to know some people in Tokyo?"

Beth bit her lip. "I'm not too great in the whole socialization department… the only friends I've ever had are back in New York at the orphanage…" She sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound so pathetic. I just never really had any friends outside of the orphanage. Besides my friends Briana and Alysia, that is."

Kagome sat down on the couch beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I understand, Beth-chan. But you need to open up a bit more, and let some other people into your life. You can't continue to let your past dictate your future."

The miko gave her friend's shoulders a squeeze.

Beth sighed, then gave her a confident smile. "You're right. I do need to loosen up a bit."

Kagome squealed and hugged her sister tightly. "YAY! I'm so excited! I can't wait to introduce you to everybody!"

Beth choked at her sister's death hold. "Kags… can't.. b-breathe…"She was quickly released, gulping in welcome breaths of air.

"Gomen nasai, Beth-chan. Sometimes I don't know my own strength…" The miko hopped up off the couch. "Anywho, we need to get ready!"

The American's eyes bulged. "You planned it _today?_"

Kagome giggled. "But of course. The sooner, the better, ne?" She practically skipped up the stairs, Beth trailing slowly behind her. "Besides, it'll be fun!"

Beth rolled her eyes. "Suuure… this is just a ruse for you to play dress-up with me, isn't it?"

The Japanese girl laughed a bit too cheerily for Beth's taste. "Of course not!"

* * *

Two hours and several curses later, Beth and Kagome both stood in front of Beth's bathroom mirror, one in shock and the other in pride.

Kagome had fixed herself up nicely, pulling her hair into a side ponytail and curling the ends. After that, she had applied bits of foundation to her face, then added some mascara and eyeliner to accentuate her bright blue eyes. After adding a cute skirt and top to the outfit, she was stunning.

After she completed her look, Kagome had decided to give Beth a complete make-over. She had curled her hair where it fell into loose ringlets all around her head. She pulled half of it on top of her head, pinning it with a black crystal hair clip. After that, she had dabbed bits of cover-up and blush around her cheeks to give her skin a beautiful glow. As the final touch, she swept eyeliner and mascara onto her eyes, then added some green eyeshadow to make her emerald eyes pop.

Beth blinked dazedly at herself, watching the strange girl in the mirror do the same. "There's no way that can be me…"

Kagome giggled. "It's you Beth-chan. I hope you like it."

The American spun and hugged her tightly. "I love it! I look absolutely beautiful Kags!"

Kagome smiled and patted her on the back. "I thought so." She pulled her sister back and smiled at her. "Now come on, let's go meet the gang!"

* * *

The two had taken a taxi to a small shopping mall in the northern part of Tokyo. Kagome guided Beth to the food court, where the group was supposed to meet up. There wasn't that much foot traffic, so Kagome had decided to get something to snack on as they waited, leaving Beth alone at the table.

She watched the shoppers pass her by while she waited, until…

"Hello there miss."

She jumped and turned to look to her left. A man stood there, and quite an attractive one too. He had short black hair tied in a small ponytail at the nape of his neck, several piercing in his ears, and bright indigo eyes.

She smiled shyly at him. "H-hello."

He bowed slightly to her, a hand at his waist. "My name is Miroku, dear lady. Might I have the pleasure of knowing yours?"

Beth blushed a light strawberry. "I-I'm Beth."

The man sighed dreamily, holding his face in his hands. "Such a lovely name for an even lovelier woman!" Beth suddenly found Miroku's face a few inches from hers, her right hand cradled in between both of his. "You're a true lady! Would you do me the honor of bearing my children?"

Beth blinked, confusion written across her face. "….huh?" She flinched when Amaranth growled at him, a sneer passing over his face. "No chance in hell, brother."

Miroku jumped slightly at the noise. "What on earth was that?"

Beth's eyes widened, and she cast Amaranth a look. _He heard that?! How?! _

Before they had left the house, both Amaranth and Lorelai had concealed themselves where no one but Beth and Kagome could see them. There was no possible way for any normal human to hear or see them.

"How did-"

SMACK!

The man was knocked over by a hand slamming into his cheek, leaving behind a steaming red handprint. Beth jumped in surprise and looked towards the owner of said hand.

A woman, about her age, stood over the prostrate Miroku, her hands clenched into fists, and her brown eyes shooting deadly daggers at the unconscious man. "Every damn time we go somewhere, I swear to God…"

She finally noticed Beth's frightened expression and gave an apologetic smile and a quick bow. "My apologies, miss. The houshi doesn't seem to remember his manners. We're supposed to met with someone, so we will be on our way."

She grabbed the back of Miroku's shirt, but didn't get too far before Kagome came back with snacks for her and Beth. "Hey Sango!" She took in the sight of Miroku, and just shook her head. "He never learns…"

The woman, now known as Sango, brushed her long brown hair over her shoulder. "Hey Kags!"

The girls hugged, Kagome pulling back first. "Oh! Sango, this is Beth. The girl I told you about?"

Beth bowed to Sango, and Sango did the same. "Hajimemashite. I'm Taijiya Sango, and unfortunately, that's my ass of a boyfriend, Kazeno Miroku."

Beth giggled. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Sango smiled. "By the way," she laughed, "Don't let Miroku's pervertedness fool you, he's really a great guy. Deep, deep down… way deep down."

Miroku suddenly popped up beside the girl, his face back to normal. "My dear Sango, you wound me!"

Sango rolled her eyes. "Save your breath monk. Before I knock it out of you."

Miroku put up his hands in surrender. "As you wish my dear."

Amaranth growled softly. "If that asshat puts one more hand on you, Beth, I'll rip his arms off." Beth bit her tongue to keep from replying.

Kagome clapped her hands to bring order to the group. "Well, now that most of us are here, I suppose we can get sta-"

"KAGOME!"

A bright orange ball of energy whizzed through the air straight into Kagome's arms. She toppled backwards, catching herself on the wire food court chair beside her.

"Geez, Shippo! What in the world-?!"

"Get back here, ya runt!"

All heads turned to see a very irate man stomping into the food court. At the sight of him, Beth almost had a heart attack.

He had bright white hair that fell in unruly waves down his back to his rear, tan skin encased in blue jeans, red high tops, and a red t-shirt, and bright golden eyes set into a very handsome face.

However, it wasn't so handsome at the moment because it was twisted into a scowl.

Amaranth, sensing Beth's panic, placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Beth, it's not him. He's gone. I promise you, it's not him"

She slowly relaxed back into her seat.

Kagome stepped forward, the ball known as Shippo clutched to her chest. "Now InuYasha, calm down. He was just excited to see me, that's all!"

The man, now known as InuYasha, snorted and crossed his arms. "I know that. But I'm supposed to look after him for my mom. He is my baby brother after all."

Shippo's head suddenly popped out of the crook of Kagome's elbow. "I'm not a baby!"

InuYasha tweaked one of his ears. "Well you're sure the right size for it, runt!"

The boy yelped and burrowed deeper into Kagome's chest. "Kagome! Inu's bein' me-ean!"

"Mean?! I'll show you mean! Come 'ere!"

The whole exchange was watched with different levels of humor by the other members of the group. They could see Kagome's growing irritation with both boys.

Sango snickered. "How long do you think she'll last?"

Beth pulled out a five dollar bill. "I'll bet less than three minutes."

Sango fished out a ten herself. "Five."

Beth grinned. "You're on."

At this point, Kagome was literally trembling with irritation. After InuYasha tried to give Shippo a super noogie, she snapped.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Grasping an ear from each boy firmly in her hand, she pulled them apart, which had both yelping and begging for mercy.

Sango grumbled as she handed over fifteen dollars to Beth. "Damn…"

Kagome slapped on a creepily calm smile. "Now, you both are going to behave and meet my friend, or I'll duct tape you to the chairs and tape your mouths shut. Am I clear?"

"C-crystal."

"Uh-huh…"

"Gooood."

She released them, finally allowing them to rub their sore ears. She turned to the rest of the group, mostly Beth.

"I apologize for their rudeness. You know how children are." She ignored the "Hey!" that came from InuYasha's direction. "Now, we can finally get to our meeting."

* * *

After they had all commandeered snacks from the various vendors and had settled into a table, the group started their conversation. Kagome started them off.

"Now, since we haven't really gotten all of the introductions out of the way due to… complications…," she sent a sharp glare InuYasha's way, "we'll start over."

"Beth, this is Taijiya Sango, my best friend, her boyfriend, Kazeno Miroku, my boyfriend, InuYasha Taisho, and his little brother, Shippo." She went around the circular table and pointed out everyone. "And everybody, this is my new friend, or shall I say sister, Beth Roberts."

Beth bowed her head. "It's nice to meet all of you."

Sango smiled at her. "We can say the same to you. Kagome hasn't stopped talking about you since she started writing to you all those years ago." She nudged the blushing brunette with her elbow. "Don't worry. It's only been good things."

Kagome stuck her tongue out at Sango. "Stop scaring the poor thing."

Miroku raised a hand. "But Kagome, didn't you have another reason for calling us all here?"

"Right…" She stepped up behind Beth and grasped her shoulders. "Everyone, we have a clairvoyant with us."

Beth paled. "K-kags…"

Kagome tightened her hold on her shoulders. "It's okay, Beth-chan. They know what it is and what it means."

Sango nodded at Beth. "She's right, Roberts-san. You see, I come from a long line of demon hunters. We still practice the art to this day."

Beth felt Amaranth tense behind her. She wanted to reach out a hand to calm him, but she waited to hear what the others had to say.

Miroku raised his left hand, and for the first time, Beth noticed the strip of leather wrapped around it, along with the string of beads that sat on top. "I am a monk, and my family is cursed with the kazaana, or the wind tunnel. It's basically a hole in my hand that sucks up anything in front of it. I keep it closed with these prayer beads." He rubbed a finger over the strand.

Shippo, who had been bouncing in his seat, suddenly piped up. "I'm a kitsune! Or… a fox demon, in English."

At Beth's confused look, Lorelai explained. "He's wearing a glamour like we are, mistress. Except where ours conceals our entire being, his only disguises his non-human parts."

Shippo blinked and looked at the spot where Lorelai stood. "Are there- do you have demons with you?"

At that, InuYasha hopped up, his hands curling into claws. "There are demons here?"

Kagome sighed. "InuYasha, sit down. They're not dangerous." She waited for him to plant his rear end back into his chair, then turned to where Lorelai and Amaranth were hidden. "If you guys want to go into the bathrooms and remove your glamours, you can. Just try to look as normal as possible."

The two looked at one another, then at Beth for confirmation. She nodded. "Go on guys, we'll still be here."

As the two left for the restroom, Kagome sighed and pointed at InuYasha. "And he's a hanyou, or half-demon."

Beth's brow furrowed, a sinking feeling developing in her stomach. "What kind of half-demon?"

He snorted at her. "I'm an inu, or dog." As if to prove his point, he gave a quick glance around, then pulled two fuzzy cat-like ears from the furrows of his hair. "The ones on the sides of my head are kinda like ear-phones, except they're attached to my skin like normal ears."

He glared at Kagome. "Which means they hurt when they're pulled." She simply stuck her tongue out at him.

Beth swallowed hard, her fear returning ten-fold. _Amaranth said he couldn't have been the attacker, but still… _"I-is there any chance that you can turn into a dog?"

Inuyasha gave her an odd look. "No. Why the fuck would I do that?"

Kagome gave him a death glare. "Inuyasha. Remember our conversation earlier?"

The hanyou thought for a second, then his dog ears visibly drooped. "Feh, sorry. I forgot." He tucked his ears back into his hair. "I'm sorry about your house and your parents..."

Beth looked at Kagome. "You told him?"

Sango piped up. "She told all of us, Roberts-san."

Beth looked at her disbelievingly. "And you believe me?"

Miroku nodded. "Most definitely. It's not too farfetched if you think about it, especially here. Demons have been around fro centuries, probably even millenia, in Japan. "

Sango nodded. "Exactly."

Beth opened her mouth to reply, but never got the chance.

"Beth!"

Amaranth, in a human guise, and a solid Lorelai, came sprinting up to the table.

Beth stood from her seat. "What's wrong guys?"

Lorelai was panting, trying to catch her breath. "There's be- hah, th-there's buh-pant…"

Amaranth finished for her. "There's been another killing. And it was near the orphanage."

* * *

**Please forgive me! *holds up shield to fend off flames***


	9. Chapter 8

**OH MY GLOB, I AM SO SORRY! I have had so much shit to do for classes that I haven't been able to update my first story ever… *tears up***

**I promise I'll try to get more time to write! I WILL PREVAIL! *mountain of schoolwork comes crashing down around me***

**Meh…**

**Special thanks go to: Royal Kitsune, dieselgouf, CharmaEvans, Tigra22, and asianriceeater. Thank you all so much for taking the time to review! I loved reading all of them, and they gave me that extra oomph to update!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever *mutters* (though I wish I did) own any characters from InuYasha. They belong to wonderful Takahashi Rumiko-san! Only the plot and some of the characters are mine. Which you can't steal. Or I will find you…**

* * *

The group was huddled around one of the TVs on display inside a furniture shop. Beth clung to Lorelai, running her fingers through the cat's fur, while the others gave her sympathetic glances.

A Japanese man with glasses shuffled around some papers, then looked at the camera and began to speak.

_Hanano Sakura was found this morning on the steps of the Glad Tidings Children's Home in Long Island, New York. She had been reported missing from her host family's residence almost two months prior. Her body was mangled in much the same way as Keikuro-san's was a few days ago, and her remains will be flown back to her hometown this evening. The Long Island Police, in correspondence with the New Hampshire Police Force, believe that the killer may be on the move, looking for new victims._

The Japanese news anchor was replaced with a news reel shot from America. A woman with bobbed black hair, wearing a beige overcoat and a police badge, stood at a podium giving out a statement. The name on the television screen showed her to be Detective Yura Kamino.

Beth felt a twinge in the back of her mind as the officer started to speak. It was as if… she had seen her before…

She mentally shook herself, trying to focus on what was being said. _It's probably nothing…_

_Both Miss Keikuro and Miss Hanano had the same body type, which gives us reason to believe that we are dealing with a potential serial killer. Anyone fitting the body type and appearance of the two girls in question is asked to use the buddy system and to not travel alone. As far as we know, there have been no recent attacks, but the public is asked to use extreme caution when going out. _

Beth bit her lip as a clip rolled across the screen. It was the caretaker, Mrs. Francoeur. She was giving a statement to the police, but whatever she said was lost in Beth's frenzied thoughts. The look of pure terror on the kindly woman's face was enough for the girl to find the strength to turn away from the screen. "I can't watch this anymore…"

She moved away from the display window and sat at a nearby bench, Lorelai curling into her lap and worriedly nuzzling her mistress.

Kagome looked over at her adopted sister while the others were still mulling over the situation in their heads. Finally, InuYasha spoke up.

"I just don't get it. How is this connected with her? I mean, I get that they look like her, but what good does that do us?"

Sango crossed her arms, her face impassive as she thought aloud. "Well, we know that whoever this killer is, they obviously knew Beth-san in the past, and they're making it perfectly clear that they haven't forgotten her. Though the pattern of killings and the route they're heading isn't really making sense."

Amaranth growled. "Yeah it is."

He saw everyone's questioning glances and moved to sit by Beth, motioning for the rest to follow. He wrapped his arm around her slightly trembling form, rubbing soothing circles into her left shoulder.

"The first point was in New Hampshire, right? That was where Beth grew up. Pretty sure it happened in the same damn town, too."

Shippo gasped, the pieces coming together. "And the orphanage was where she was sent afterwards, right?"

The tengu nodded at him. "Bingo."

He sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "The bastard's going in a pattern. He's mapped out every goddamn spot Beth's stopped at, and placed a pretty significant pin on each."

Kagome gasped. "He's following her."

Amaranth nodded.

InuYasha growled, his hands clenching into tight fists. "That son of a bitch…"

Miroku finally spoke up. "But if he is following Beth-san, then won't he figure out that she has left America?"

Beth shook her head. "No. Nobody knew I was leaving for Japan specifically except for myself, Mrs. Francoeur, and my friends Bri and Alysia. None of them would have told a soul."

Kagome bit her lip. "Are you positive, imouto?"

Her friends blinked at the use of such an intimate term.

Beth nodded. "Hai."

Lorelai flicked her tail in irritation. "Well someone had to have known, otherwise there would have been no reason for the killer to have placed a body on the steps of your second home."

Beth wracked her brain, thinking of anyone else that could have been informed of her travel plans. Her eyes cut back to the TV display, widening when she saw the detective from before conversing with Mrs. Francoeur.

A sudden thought emerged.

"Wait a minute… what was her name again?" She pointed at the screen.

InuYasha squinted at the window. "Yura Kamino."

Beth gasped. "I thought I recognized her… she was the officer that brought me to Glad Tidings, after my parents died…"

_Bruised and a bit bloody, a thirteen-year-old Beth sat silently in the back seat of a squad car. She watched dazedly as her house collapsed in flames, the firefighters unable to contain the blaze. _

_A tear rolled down her cheek at the thought of her parents' crumpled bodies splayed on the floor. _I didn't even get to say goodbye…

_Her eyes caught movement out of the corner of her eye, and they shifted to see a woman walking towards the car. She was pretty, with short black hair and burgundy-colored eyes. She wore no uniform, but a badge on her belt. _

_The woman opened the back door of the car and knelt in front of Beth, a sad look entering her eyes. She took in the girl's disheveled appearance, as well as the numerous tears falling down her face. _Poor kid… _she thought. _You've literally been through hell today…

_Officer Yura Kamino smiled gently at her charge, hoping that there was still some light in the young girl's eyes. "Hello there," she said. _

_Beth was silent. _

"_My name is Yura, and I hear you're Beth, right?"_

_A nod. _

"_Well, I know you're probably scared right now, but I promise you that you're in good hands. I'll take good care of you kiddo, alright?"_

_Another nod, followed by an almost silent question. _

"_Where will I go now…?"_

_Yura had to bite her tongue to keep from tearing up. She locked gazes with the girl curled in her back seat, watching her tiny shoulders tremble. "With me. I'll find you a nice home."_

_Beth bit her lip, saying nothing. She faced forward, ending the conversation. _

_Yura sighed and stood, closing the back passenger door, and entering the driver's seat. She glanced in her rear view mirror to watch her charge prop herself up against the seat. She sat for a while, looking off into space, then she seemed to doze off. _

Get some sleep, kiddo, you're probably gonna need it…

_Meanwhile, Amaranth had freed himself from the charred husk of a house and returned to Beth's side, cuddling her and whispering comforting words to her while she fell asleep on his shoulder, allowing the detective to drive away into the ash-filled twilight._

_~0~_

Kagome sat on Beth's other side, rubbing her sister's arm. "I just wish we knew who it was and why they're doing this…"

Amaranth looked at the black-haired girl. "I still say this has that fucking pedophilic asshole's name written all over it. It screams coincidence, and it's too damn convenient for him to skip town along with Monster Mutt. And now there are girls dropping like flies with _bite marks_?"

He growled. "I smell a rat."

Sango nodded. "Indeed."

Beth poked Amaranth in the side. "Language, sir."

She glanced up at the others. "Look, I know he was a creep, but that doesn't mean he was the one responsible for killing my parents. Besides, I doubt he could have concealed a giant white wolf in his house without someone noticing it."

The tengu pouted, his case deflated.

Shippo tapped his little chin. "Well, either way, somebody's after you, Beth-chan. Or girls that look like you. And you can't be too careful."

InuYasha bopped him on the head. "That's what we've been saying, ya runt!"

The kitsune hopped up and down, a small bump appearing on his head. "Ooooowww! Kagome, Inu hit me again!"

"InuYasha!"

"What? He deserved it!"

"How did he deserve that one?"

"For being a smartass!"

"INUYASHA!"

The rest of the group sweat-dropped. _So much for a serious moment…_

~0~

After giving InuYasha a thorough scolding and a good knock on the head, Kagome suggested that the group move to a more private location to further discuss their 'plan'.

Since a temple was nearby (thankfully one that Miroku had trained/taught at), they decided that that was their best bet.

Plus the peace and quiet would clear their minds.

They entered the temple, finding a couple of monks praying in there, and were escorted by the head priest, by Miroku's request, to one of the ceremonial chambers. While this was where blessings and special ceremonies were performed, there were several shelves full of odd paraphernalia lining the walls, since it doubled as a kind of sickbay.

While Miroku prepared a whole bunch of funky-smelling ingredients, Kagome pulled out some spell books and chalk from the surrounding shelves.

Beth raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly is this 'plan'?"

Sango smiled at her. "We're going to get you a protection spell, right? That way, you'll be safe from anything that wants to hurt you."

Kagome opened a few of the thick tomes and laid them on the floor, drawing out a couple of ceremonial talismans on the floor. She looked over to her sister and smiled. "Don't worry Beth-chan. We know what we're doing. We're trained professionals, remember?"

It was at this moment that Miroku mixed a couple of ingredients wrong. "Uh-oh…" He muttered.

Thick, blue smoke billowed up from the small bowl he was using and swirled around his head. It began to froth, and bright flashes of light and small rumbles of what sounded like thunder rolled from the tiny cloud.

Beth blanched, while everyone else sweat-dropped. "Was that supposed to happen?"

Amaranth face-palmed. "Baka…"

* * *

Yura Kamino was late. She knew this, and she was positive that her dinner partner knew this.

Unfortunately, an unsolved double-murder case doesn't give a rat's ass whether you have other plans or not.

After giving the public statement, Detective Kamino had stayed at the crime scene for another three hours, collecting evidence and witness statements. Then all of that had to be taken to the precinct and accurately processed.

She had barely had enough time to go home and change, and now she was speeding through heavy traffic. She ignored the curses thrown at her, as well as the numerous fingers she got.

After what seemed like an eternity, she reached the restaurant.

Yura sighed in relief. "Finally…"

She handed her keys over to the waiting valet, shrugging out of her overcoat sh she approached the hostess' stand.

A teenaged girl, with short blonde hair and grey eyes smiled and welcomed her.

"Reservation for Kamino?"

The hostess led her to a booth in the far corner of the restaurant. She smiled when she saw her dinner partner anxiously waiting. "Sorry to keep you, Maxine."

The small brown-haired woman turned and stood to embrace her lover. It was always a special occasion when they got out of work to meet up. Their working lives took up the majority of their time, so any free time was shared with one another.

She pecked her on the lips, then motioned for her to sit in the opposite chair. "Can we have a nice bottle of Chardonnay please?"

The hostess nodded, placing down the menus. "I'll be right back, just take your time deciding on your choices in the meantime. My name's Fern, so call if you need anything."

After thanking her, Fern left to retrieve their wine.

When Yura settled herself, Maxine playfully glared at her. "I've been waiting for you to get here for almost an hour, missy."

Yura chuckled. "Sorry dear, I had to get the evidence over to the lab for processing. By the way," she raised a dark eyebrow. "Don't you have an orphanage to run?"

Maxine Francoeur blushed. "I have one of my supervisors taking care of things. She's the best one I've got."

She sighed and ran her hand through her slightly-mussed hair. "The kids were horrified when they heard what had happened. Thankfully they didn't see anything, but just the thought…"

Yura nodded in understanding.

Fern returned with their wine, pouring each of them a glass, then leaving when they said they needed more time to order.

Maxine took a couple of sips, savoring the taste, while Yura looked at her girlfriend, thoughtfully swirling her wine in its glass.

"Do you remember the first time we met?"

Maxine took another slow sip from her glass, then sighed. "Yes, I do." She set her glass down and folded her hands. "And while I'm glad for it, since I did meet you, I don't see it as a happy occasion."

"That was the day I brought Beth to you."

Maxine nodded. "Yes. That little girl had been through so much… seeing her parents die in that fire was horrifying, and I don't think she ever got over the shock."

Yura's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

The caretaker sighed. "Well, for the longest time after she came to Glad Tidings, she would talk to herself. I'd hear her muttering to someone at all hours of the night, talking about her guardian angel protecting her and a giant wolf killing her parents instead of them burning in the fire. I tried to talk to her about it, but she shut herself off from me."

She took another sip.

"I suppose that she eventually forgot about it. After a few months, she started to talk to me longer, and she even interacted with the other kids. But she was still closed off. Probably would have been to this day if she hadn't met Kagome; they were pen-pals. Kagome lives in Japan, and Beth would write to her all the time about her personal life. They got really close. Actually," she smiled, "Kagome's mother plans on adopting Beth."

Yura smiled. "Really? Where is Beth, if I may ask?"

Maxine shook her head. "It's not a problem. She's gone to Tokyo to visit with Kagome and her family. I thought it would be a good opportunity for her to get socialized a bit more."

The detective sipped at her wine, a small smile on her face. "That's nice. She's a lucky girl. Do you have a picture of her now? It's been so long since I saw her last. I'll bet she's grown up to be a real beaut."

Maxine laughed and dug into her purse. "Well, I always keep photos of the kids on me in case someone strikes up an adoption conversation. Let me see… AH! Here we go!"

She pulled out a long line of individual photos, pointing to one of the first few. "There's the most recent. That was taken back in February, I believe."

Yura glanced at the picture, then stared openly at it, her eyes bulging slightly. "Oh my God…"

Maxine, suddenly worried, placed her hand on Yura's upper arm. "Love, what's wrong?"

The detective looked up at her girlfriend, fear etched into her face. "Beth… Beth looks like… the killer's body type…."

The caretaker covered her mouth with both hands, tears gathering in her doe eyes. "Oh no… Oh Yura, what are we going to do?"

Yura's thoughts sprang through her head like a herd of deer. "Wait, didn't you say that Beth was in Japan?"

Maxine nodded.

The detective pulled out her work phone. "And who all knew about her trip?"

"My-myself, Beth, and two girls that she hung out with outside of the orphanage."

Yura called a number, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up. "I'll need you to get those girls to Glad Tidings. We need all of the information that we can get."

A gruff voice answered the other end of the line. "Yeah, who is it?"

Yura smirked. "Hello Koga. It's been awhile…"

The voice growled over the phone. "The fuck do you want, Yura?"

The detective looked over at her girlfriend, raised a finger to her lips to keep her quiet, which she nodded to, and closed her eyes in concentration.

"I need your help."

Koga chuckled. "Oh really, you- the oh-so-powerful Yura of the Hair- need the help of a lowly wolf demon such as myself?" He grew slient, then growled softly.

"Help with what?"

Yura opened her eyes. They were a bright red, glowing in the dim lighting.

"I need you to do what you do best: guard someone."

* * *

The Deadly Dolls, after tying up their loose end in upstate New York, now stood across the street from the Long Island orphanage.

The drive had thankfully been short, and the information had proven accurate. Now they waited, the smell of blood soaking into the concrete from earlier that day. Kagura had, at last, begun to grow impatient.

"I thought she would be back by now." She fiddled with her fan, snapping it open and closed. After making a quick pit stop to change, she now wore thigh-length black shorts, a white tank top and a red _yukata_. Her feet were slipped into low _geta_ without the _tabi_.

Kikyo stood silently, her kimono replaced with a red sundress and heels. The dark miko spoke to the wind witch. "Patience is key, Kagura. The caretaker left about two hours ago, and we've only been here for a few minutes. Calm yourself."

Kanna wore her regular dress, since she didn't feel the need to change.

Kanna sat on the curb, her mirror sitting in the palm of her hand. She stared at her reflection, mainly into her own soulless eyes, until she heard an approaching car. Her head immediately lifted, recognizing the engine's sputters.

"She is coming."

The three women stood and watched as the small blue Honda Civic spluttered into the back lot of the orphanage.

As soon as its driver emerged, they made their move.

Kikyo approached Maxine slowly, so as not to startle her. "Excuse me?"

The woman jumped, not hearing the woman walking towards her. "Oh my! You startled me!" She laid a hand over her pulsing heart.

Kikyo smiled, a vapid twitch of the lips

that was little more than slipping on a mask, and apologized. "I'm so sorry. I was looking for the caretaker of this orphanage."

Maxine gave a small wave. "That would be me!"

Kagura interjected. "Good, we're glad we found you. You see, we're looking to adopt. And we've been searching for that special child, but we haven't found them yet…"

Maxine blinked, the woman's sympathies startling her. "O-oh… well if you'd like, you can come back tomorrow and we can look at some of our prospective foster kids-"

Kikyo interjected. "Well, we were hoping on looking around tonight. It's just, we've been wandering all day, and now that we've finally found…" She leaned a bit to the side to catch the name on the placard. "…Glad Tidings, we wish to see some of your foster children!"

Maxine pursed her lips, looking down at her watch. 10:25.

"W-well… it is a bit late…" She sighed. "But I suppose I can help you look around a bit."

All three women sighed in relief.

She walked to the back door and unlocked it, allowing the three strange women through before quietly closing it and sliding the deadbolt.

"Well, if you'll just follow me to my office, I'll see what I can do."

They wandered down the halls, past the gymnasium, cafeteria, and classrooms. After a while, they reached the headmistress' office, and Maxine quickly unlocked the door, flicked on the lights, and guided the three inside.

After she sat in her large leather chair, and the three other women got comfortable themselves, she asked. "Now, is there anyone specific that you're looking for? Have you seen someone on the website that you're interested in?"

Kagura nodded. "Indeed. We want Elizabeth Davidson."

* * *

**Okay, before there is mass confusion about the switch of last names, I'm going to tell you that that will be answered literally in the beginning of the next chapter. Also, yes, Yura's a lesbian. And she's not a bitch. :P I wanted to give a bad character the chance to be good. Fuck me, right? *is shot* Well, other than that, I guess the last thing for me to say is thank you for everyone that has reviewed and kept up with me, and please leave me a review! It makes my day when you guys send me a message on my stories, so I hope I get some new ones soon. **

**!IMPORTANT NOTE!**

**I will be dealing with college classes and homework up to my eyeballs for the rest of the year, so updates may be incredibly rare. However, I will do my best to continue writing quickly. Thank you guys so much!**


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